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picoCTF

Let learning happen through exploration.

The largest cybersecurity hacking contest for middle and high school students has expanded to help learners of all experience levels.

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Sign up is open year-round for anyone 13 and older to learn, practice, and compete.

What is picoCTF?

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picoCTF is a free computer security game with original educational content built on a capture-the-flag framework created by security and privacy experts at Carnegie Mellon University.

Gain access to a safe and unique hands on experience where participants must reverse engineer, break, hack, decrypt, and think creatively and critically to solve the challenges and capture the flags.

Sign up now and explore picoCTF's newest features where you can build skills in the picoGym and read about cybersecurity terminology and principles with the picoPrimer.

About picoCTF

Through picoCTF, learners can:

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Learn

Gain knowledge about introductory through advanced level cybersecurity principles in our noncompetitive features the picoGym and the picoPrimer.

picoPrimer
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Practice

Build your CTF skills, help yourself advance your personal best score, and prepare for the big show using our mini Competitions to practice.

picoGym
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Compete

Join the world’s largest free hacking competition where you can compete for cash prizes, specialty awards, and a chance to visit Carnegie Mellon University.

Latest Competition
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Visualize

See yourself in a career in cybersecurity. Cybersecurity skills are in high demand in the workforce and the need grows as computers continue to be an integral part of everyday life.

CMU Education

Through picoCTF, teachers can:

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Facilitate

Monitor student or group progress when using the Classroom feature. Get real-time analytics on your team’s progress including the timestamp of the last challenge solved.

Teacher's Guide
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Play

Don’t be afraid to join in the fun and play at your own pace to test your cybersecurity knowledge or learn a new skill. The cyber security topics in picoCTF include introductory level concepts progressing to mastery level.

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Introducing the picoGym

picoGym

picoGym is a noncompetitive practice space where you can explore and solve challenges from previously released picoCTF competitions, find fresh never before revealed challenges, and build a knowledge base of cyber security skills in a safe environment.

Whether you are a cyber security professional, competitive hacker or new to CTFs you will find interesting challenges in the picoGym that you can solve at your own pace. Team picoCTF will regularly update this challenge repository so visit the picoGym often.

Practice picoGym

Current events

picoCTF 2021 Competition

picoCTF 2021 is the largest cybersecurity hacking contest for middle and high school students. Participants 13 years and older of all skill levels are encouraged to compete.

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Sign up for a picoCTF.org account at anytime.

  • Feb 16 - Competition registration opens
  • March 16 - Competition Starts
  • March 30 - Competition Ends

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Open to everyone:

  • Age 13+
  • Prizes and awards may have requirements. See competition rules for details.

picoCTF would like to thank our sponsors for providing funds for continued development.

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Support us

picoCTF is the largest hacking contest ever. We are offering a limited number of exclusive sponsorship opportunities to companies and organizations. Take part in shaping tomorrow's workforce.

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Want to send us a gift? Your support will definitely help us move forward!

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