Team Size. Register as a solo participant or as a team with up to 4 members. Rosters are locked once the competition starts.
Official RulebookCompete
Compete
clean.
These rules apply to every solo player and team in Athena CTF 2026, from the moment registration opens until the organizers officially close the event. By registering, you agree to play by them.
01 - ParticipationWho can
Who can
compete.
Registration is open to solo players and teams. Keep your roster honest and your account your own.
One Account. Each participant may register and play under exactly one account. Playing under multiple accounts, or sharing an account between people who are not on the same registered team, is prohibited.
Registered Players Only. Only registered participants may access challenges or submit flags. Do not give challenge access to anyone outside the event.
02 - Flags & SolutionsNo flag
No flag
sharing.
Every flag must be earned by the solo player or team that submits it. Sharing flags is the fastest way out of the competition.
No Flag Sharing. Do not share, post, trade, sell, or otherwise distribute flags with anyone outside your registered team while the event is live. This includes other teams, Discord servers, social media, and private messages.
No Solution Sharing. Hints, partial solutions, solve scripts, and challenge files are covered by the same rule as flags. Cross-team collaboration of any kind is not permitted.
Submission Integrity. Submit flags only through the official platform. Brute-forcing the flag submission endpoint or automating mass guesses is prohibited.
03 - Writeups & DisclosureHold your
Hold your
writeups.
We love writeups - after the event. Nothing about a challenge goes public until the organizers officially close the event.
No Public Writeups During the Event. Do not publish writeups, solution videos, live streams, blog posts, tweets, or spoilers of any kind for any challenge until Athena CTF 2026 is officially declared closed by the organizers.
After the Event Closes. Once the organizers announce the event is closed, writeups are welcome and encouraged. Feel free to share your solves, tag Athena CTF, and teach the community.
04 - Infrastructure & ConductProtect the
Protect the
platform.
Attack the challenges, not the event. Keep the infrastructure and the other participants out of your scope.
No Infrastructure Attacks. Attacking or degrading event infrastructure, including DoS and DDoS activity, is strictly prohibited.
Respect Other Participants. Do not interfere with, attack, or disrupt the sessions, machines, or solves of other participants or teams.
Report Vulnerabilities. If you find a vulnerability in the event infrastructure or an unintended challenge bypass, report it to the organizers immediately instead of exploiting it.
05 - Penalties & EnforcementBreak rules,
Break rules,
lose points.
Violations carry real consequences. Flag sharing in particular is monitored and acted on during the event.
Flag Sharing Penalty. If flag sharing is caught, the organizers may deduct points from, or cancel the participation of, every solo player or team involved - including forfeiting scoreboard position, prizes, and certificates.
Organizer Authority. Athena CTF Organizers reserve the right to disqualify any participant or team at their sole discretion. All organizer decisions are final.
Reporting Obligation. Report all rule violations you witness to the organizers immediately. Failing to report a violation you benefited from may be treated as participation in it.