Rules

1. Fair Play

Players are expected to follow general fair play principles. It is not permitted to exploit systems or rules in unintended ways, including in situations not explicitly described in the rules. In cases of doubt as to whether an action constitutes unintended exploitation of rules or systems, the national coach or another representative of the competition must be contacted before any actions are taken.

All participants are expected to behave politely and respectfully toward one another. Bullying and harassment are not tolerated.

2. Rules

2.1 All participation is individual.

It is not permitted to assist other participants. You may use all technical tools you may find online, including AI tools, but receiving help from other people is a violation of the rules. This includes hinting, discussion, "sanity checking", etc. in DMs with other users, regardless of whether they are participating or not.

2.2 Who may participate

There are three participant brackets:

  • Juniors (16–20 years)
  • Seniors (21–25 years)
  • Open / Others

Age is determined as of 31 December in the competition year.

Participation in the European Championships furthermore requires Norwegian citizenship. Therefore, Norwegian citizenship is a requirement for participation in the final round of the competition (National Championships).

2.3 Scope of the competition

Only tasks included in the competition may be solved. Attacks against other participants or against the platforms and infrastructures on which the competition/tasks are run are not permitted. This means, among other things, that:

  • DoS/DDoS attacks are not permitted.
  • It is not permitted to attack the networks provided (e.g. access to websites and labs, or WiFi/LAN).
  • It is not permitted to manipulate the scoring system beyond receiving the points one is entitled to.
  • It is not permitted to interfere with the platform or infrastructure.

2.4 Support and shared Discord

For all support related to the competition, we use the following shared Discord server: https://discord.gg/phGNqjNCU. The server is the official communication channel and contains important announcements regarding challenge status, updates, and other relevant information. It also functions as the support platform for participants. We assume that all participants are present on the server and stay informed through it.

Hints will never be given to individuals. If a challenge is unclear or something appears to be missing, we appreciate being notified. However, any clarifications or responses will be announced publicly to ensure that all participants receive the same information at the same time. If hints for unsolved challenges are released, there will be a prior announcement specifying when the hint will be made available.

Participants are expected to behave in a sportsmanlike and respectful manner. Unsportsmanlike conduct such as hoarding flags, engaging in non-constructive criticism on Discord, using obscene names on the scoreboard or Discord, deleting flags, sabotaging the platform, or otherwise disrupting challenges for others is not permitted. This list is not exhaustive, and any behavior deemed harmful to the fairness or integrity of the competition may result in consequences.

2.4 Problems with a task

If a participant experiences technical or practical issues with a task, they may contact the responsible national coach or another official representative of the competition for assistance, for example to request a reset of the task.

All questions related to challenges must be submitted through the ticket system, including questions such as “Is challenge X supposed to Y?”. Before submitting a ticket, participants are expected to review the announcements on the shared Discord server to ensure that the issue has not already been addressed.

2.5 Writeups

It is permitted to publish writeups once the individual competitions have concluded. This means that writeups from Qualifiers may be published from 23 March 2026.

2.6 Complaints or irregularities

Complaints must be submitted directly to the relevant organizer. In the case of technical errors, where the complainant wishes to receive points (e.g. a non-functioning flag), it is important to secure evidence such as screenshots to support the complaint. Complaints must generally be received before the competition is decided and winners are announced. Only in very special cases (e.g. if it later emerges that a participant attacked the infrastructure, or if it is revealed that a participant provided incorrect information regarding age or nationality) will it be possible to consider complaints submitted afterwards.

3. About the competition

Selection Criteria for the Qualification Round

  • The final will consist of 30 participants, and we aim to balance this to approximately 15 juniors and 15 seniors – as far as possible.
  • All selection criteria are listed in order of priority, and where there is overlap, we will not, for example, select number 2 if number 1 is already qualified:
    • [1] The junior and senior with the highest score in each category (e.g., web or crypto) qualify directly for the final. In the case of tied scores, the tie will be decided by the submission time of the last solved challenge in that category.
    • [2] The "bonus" category is exempt from direct qualification under the above criterion.
    • [3] The best male and female participant among both juniors and seniors advance to the final.
    • [4] Remaining spots are filled according to overall placement on the scoreboard.
    • [5] We reserve the right to set a minimum requirement for the number of challenges solved in order to be included, if necessary.
    • [6] We reserve the right to make other changes to the selection criteria if it becomes absolutely necessary.

Important Information for Participants

  • The final will be held in late April / early May. You must expect to verify your identity with NTNU to confirm age, nationality, receive tickets, etc.
  • ECSC will be held in October in Germany. Candidates for the national team must be available during this period.
  • There will also be activities along the way to meet, learn, and train together. If you will be abroad or in military service during this period, we appreciate being informed early so we can take this into consideration.

4. Sanctions

  • In the event of rule violations, the judge may impose one of the following sanctions, or a combination thereof:
    • Disqualification. This sanction is typically imposed for serious, repeated, or intentional violations of the rules.
    • Warning. This sanction is typically imposed for minor rule violations where the participant has not knowingly or intentionally cheated or attempted to cheat. Two warnings result in disqualification.
    • Deduction of points. This sanction is applied if it is assessed that a participant has gained an advantage through intentional or unintentional rule violations.

FAQ (Updated continuously)

May you participate and solve tasks if you are over 25 years old?

  • Yes, even though the national championships are for participants aged 16–25, it is still possible to join in on the qualificaiton through the open division.

Is participation in the virtual qualification required if you wish to join the national team?

  • Yes. The virtual qualification is a prerequisite for participating in the National Championships, from which the national team is selected.

What should I do if I experience technical problems?

  • Write a ticket in our shared Discord and we will try to help.

Do I need to be a Norwegian citizen to participate?

  • Norwegian citizenship is a requirement for participating in the final round of the competition (National Championships). You are free to play in the open division otherwise.