Join the Huntress Annual Capture the Flag

Capture the Flag is the hacker's sport: a cybersecurity competition where participants solve challenges across domains like web security, cryptography, digital forensics, and more. Each challenge hides a "flag," a unique string of text. Your mission? Find that flag and submit it to earn points. 

The more flags you capture, the higher you climb on the leaderboard. It's really a test of (ethical) hacker skills, creativity, and, above all, perseverance. 

In our CTF, you'll engage in hands-on exercises centered around malware analysis, incident response, threat hunting, cyber threat intelligence, and general security. In some ways, it’s a chance to walk in the shoes of a Huntress Threat Analyst, facing off against the same types of challenges they tackle every single day.

Joining the Huntress CTF is easy, free, and open to all!

Register an account: Sign up for a personal account on our CTF platform. This registration period is only open during a certain time of the year (usually September-October).

Create or join a team: Team up with co-workers, peers, friends, or maybe even rivals. Whether you're a lone wolf or part of a pack, there's no limit on team size.

Start tackling the challenges: Once October kicks off, head over to the Challenges page and start hunting those flags.

Note: While there's no cap on team size, prizes are limited. If your team wins, you'll need to decide how to divvy up the loot.

Here's what awaits you at each CTF event:

Diverse Challenges: With 60+ unique challenges in past events, you'll see everything from classic CTF puzzles to real malware analysis pulled straight from the wild.

Real-World Scenarios: Tackle the same types of threats that cybersecurity professionals face daily. It's as authentic as it gets without the actual danger.

Community Engagement: Join our Discord server to connect with fellow participants. Share insights, ask for hints (without spoiling the fun), and maybe partake in some friendly banter amongst your future temporary nemeses. 

Dynamic Scoring: Our challenges use dynamic scoring, so as more participants solve a challenge, its point value decreases. It keeps the competition lively and rewards those who tackle the toughest problems. (Nothing weird here: this is the traditional scoring system used by most modern CTF competitions.)

New to the CTF scene or just want to brush up on your skills? We've got you covered:

CTF 101: A comprehensive guide to getting started with Capture the Flag competitions.

Awesome CTF: A curated list of challenges, write-ups, and tools to help you level up.

Educational Videos: Check out our collection of videos designed to sharpen your cybersecurity acumen.

Remember, aside from bragging rights and shiny prizes, CTFs are about learning and growth. Don't hesitate to explore new topics and challenge yourself.

While the Huntress CTF runs throughout October, the excitement builds all year long. Whether you're aiming for the top spot or just looking to have some fun and learn something new, we invite you to join us.

For more information or assistance, join our Discord community. Our team and fellow participants are always ready to help.

We're already cooking up new challenges for Huntress CTF 2026! Check back next October for registration details, updates, and more. Until then, keep honing your skills, and maybe we'll see you on the leaderboard during our favorite month of the year. 

While you wait, join us at Tradecraft Tuesday, our once-a-month session dedicated to revealing hacker techniques, exploring tech, and sharpening defensive know-how. Catch up on past episodes or register for the next one to stay ahead of the curve. By tuning in, you’ll get insider info that could give you an edge in next year’s competition!