JISSA CTF 2026 • Signal Lost

Rules, Guidelines & Mechanics

Read these carefully before entering the liminal spaces. Participation in this competition means your team agrees to follow all rules below.

Event Duration 6 Hours Total

Challenge Waves 2 Waves During the Event

Flag Format JISSA{flag}

Guidelines and Mechanics

There is no individual time limit for each challenge or question.
Teams will be given a total of six (6) hours to solve and submit as many challenges as possible.
The competition will be released in two challenge waves:
- Wave 1: available when the CTF starts.
- Wave 2: released after the short break.
The team with the highest total score at the end of the competition will be declared the winner.
If scores are tied, the winner will be determined by the earliest solving time.

Competition Rules

No use of AI tools. Any team found using AI assistance in solving challenges will be automatically disqualified.
No outside help. Teams must rely only on their own registered members during the event. Any outside assistance will result in automatic disqualification.
Do not attack, disrupt, or interfere with the CTF platform, scoreboard, infrastructure, organizers, or other teams.
Do not brute-force flags, accounts, or submission endpoints unless a challenge explicitly requires that behavior.
Do not share flags, solutions, hints, or challenge-specific answers with other teams during the competition.
Only exploit vulnerabilities that are intentionally part of the challenge environment. Real-world attacks against external systems, participant devices, or organizer infrastructure are strictly prohibited.
Any form of unfair play, sabotage, or unsportsmanlike conduct may lead to penalties or disqualification at the discretion of the organizers.

Important: The use of AI or receiving outside help is strictly prohibited. Violation of either rule will result in immediate disqualification.

Flag Submission

Unless otherwise stated in a challenge, all flags will follow the format JISSA{flag}.
Flags must be submitted exactly as required, including correct capitalization, punctuation, and braces.
A correct solution submitted in the wrong format will still be marked incorrect.
Multiple incorrect submissions may be monitored by the organizers.

Always double-check the format before submitting your flag.

Prizes

The top three (3) teams will receive certificates and prizes as follows:

1st Place

5,000

2nd Place

3,000

3rd Place

2,000

All top three winners shall also receive official certificates from the organizers.

Fair Play

This competition is designed to test technical skill, teamwork, strategy, and ethical conduct under pressure. Respect the spirit of the game, respect fellow participants, and help keep the event fair for everyone.

Organizer decisions regarding scoring, rule interpretation, challenge integrity, penalties, and disqualification are final.