UCC Cyber Stars CTF - Official Rules

UCC Cyber Stars CTF

Official Rules and Regulations - Ensuring a fair, secure, and educational environment for Uganda's premier university cybersecurity competition. Participants compete individually while representing their universities in this national event.

⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTICE

These rules ensure fair competition and educational value. Violations may result in disqualification, bans, or reporting to authorities. Organizer decisions are final. By participating, you agree to all terms below.

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1. Eligibility and Registration

🎓 Age and Status Requirements

Age Requirement

Open to individuals aged 18+ enrolled in a recognized Ugandan university. Participants under 18 require parental/guardian consent.

Eligibility Restrictions

Current/former UCC, UGCERT, or sponsor employees university staff are ineligible to participate.

🏫 Individual Participation

Key Point: Participants compete as individuals, not teams. During registration, each participant must select their university from the provided list on the official platform (e.g., learn.ug-cert.ug).

📝 Registration Requirements

  • Register using verifiable Ugandan contact details (university/personal valid email, national ID)
  • Impersonation or false information results in lifetime bans
  • Registration closes 48 hours before the event - no late registrations allowed
  • Each participant may only register once

✅ Verification Process

Verification Required: Organizers may verify identities via video call, student ID checks, or in-person confirmation. Non-compliance leads to disqualification.

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2. Event Format and Schedule

Duration

The Competition lasts 8-12 hours (exact duration announced 24 hours prior). No extensions or pauses permitted.

The Competition has a qualification stage and a final stage where the finalists shall be announced by Ug-cert after verification imediately after semi-final competition.

Format

Jeopardy-style challenges in Web Exploitation, Cryptography, Forensics, Reverse Engineering, AI,BlockChain, and Network Security.

🌐 Platform Access

All interactions occur via the official CTF platform. Participants must use provided networks. Personal IPs are logged and monitored and discrepancies like sharing logins to remote collegues shall lead to disqulaifications.

💬 Communication

Official updates via event Discord/whatsapp channel. Private communication must be limited to organizers or university teammates notes. No participant-to-participant sharing allowed.

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3. Scoring System

🎯 Individual Points

Flag Submission

Submit flags (strings) via the platform. Correct submissions earn 100-500 points based on difficulty.

Progressive Scoring

Some challenges may award partial points for progressive solves.

🏫 University Scoreboard

Scores are tallied individually but displayed with university affiliation. University rankings reflect the sum of individual scores from participants of that institution.

⚡ Dynamic Scoring & Bonuses

  • Points decay (5% per hour) to reward early solves(optional)
  • First-blood bonus: +20% for first solve(optional)
  • Unique solve bonus: +10% for rare solutions(optional)

🥇 Tiebreakers

Resolution Order: Total flags solved → Submission timestamps → No appeals allowed

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4. Allowed Actions

🛠️ Challenge Interaction

Approved Tools

Open-source tools (Burp Suite, Wireshark, Metasploit etc) on provided VMs or challenge environments

Research

Google and educational resources permitted. Pre-written exploits require disclosure

AI

Use of AI to solve challenges will lead to disqualifications.

👤 Individual Work Policy

Strictly Individual: No sharing of hints, solutions, or flags with others, Unless same-university participants, except via official "ask the organizers" channels.

💻 Resource Usage

Hardware Limitations

Limited to standard hardware (no quantum computers or GPU clusters), User are expected to use their computers wil linux in the vm or wsl with all tools necessary.

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5. Prohibited Conduct

🚨 Cheating

Zero Tolerance: Sharing flags, solutions, or hints with anyone is banned. Using AI-generated solutions without manual verification is prohibited. Logs, chat monitoring, and plagiarism detection enforce this.

⚠️ Infrastructure Protection

No Attacks

No scanning, DDoS, or unauthorized access to CTF platform or external systems

Monitoring

All traffic is firewalled and logged for security

🦠 Malware Policy

Strictly Forbidden: Submitting viruses, ransomware, or self-propagating code is banned. Challenges are sandboxed; breaches void all progress.

🎭 Social Engineering

No phishing, impersonation, or manipulation of organizers or participants. Physical tailgating at venues is prohibited.

⚖️ Legal Compliance

Legal Consequences: Actions violating Ugandan laws (e.g., Computer Misuse Act) result in reporting to authorities and permanent exclusion.

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6. Penalties and Enforcement

Warnings

Minor infractions (off-topic chat) receive one private warning

Point Deductions

Repeated violations deduct 10-50% of individual points

Disqualification

Major violations result in disqualification, score nullification, and 2-year ban

🔍 Monitoring Systems

Submissions, traffic, and communications are logged and reviewed. AI-assisted anomaly detection is used for fair play enforcement.

📋 Appeals Process

Limited Time: Appeals limited to 24 hours post-event via official form with evidence.

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7. Intellectual Property and Disclosure

📝 Ownership

Challenges and solutions belong to UCC/UGCERT. Participants grant usage rights for educational purposes.

✍️ Writeups

Post-event writeups must wait 30 days and credit the event. No spoilers during the event.

🔒 Responsible Disclosure

No publishing of exploits targeting real-world vulnerabilities without responsible disclosure.

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9. Liability and Safety

⚠️ Disclaimer

Participation at Own Risk: Organizers are not liable for data loss, hardware damage, or indirect harms. Use antivirus and backups.

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8. Prizes and Recognition

🎯 Awards Structure

To Be Determined: Prize details, amounts, and specific awards are currently being finalized by the organizing committee. Full prize information will be announced closer to the competition date.

🎖️ Expected Categories

Individual Awards

Top performers will receive certificates, trophies, and potential internship opportunities

University Recognition

Universities with highest combined scores will receive institutional recognition

Participation Recognition

All participants will receive digital badges and certificates of participation

📢 Prize Announcement

Updates

Complete prize details will be published on the official platform and announced through event communication channels. Stay tuned for exciting updates!

💰 Important Notes

General Terms: Winners will be responsible for applicable taxes. All prizes are subject to availability and organizer discretion. Substitutions in qualifications may occur based on final arrangements and decisions by ug-cert.

🏥 Health and Safety

In-Person Events

Comply with health protocols (e.g., COVID-19 guidelines) for physical venues

Remote Participants

Ensure stable internet connection and safe working environment

🔒 Data Privacy

Personal data handled per Uganda's Data Protection Act, used solely for event purposes. We prioritize participant privacy and data security.

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10. Code of Conduct

🌟 Ethical Standards

Participants must uphold ethical standards, fostering inclusivity and respect throughout the competition. We expect professional behavior that reflects the cybersecurity community's values.

🚨 Reporting Violations

Report violations anonymously via the designated channel. All reports will be investigated promptly and confidentially.

📋 Agreement

Binding Agreement: By registering, you agree to these rules and accept the consequences of any violations.

🎯 Competition Spirit

Fair Play

Compete with integrity, respect opponents, and celebrate achievements

Learning Focus

Prioritize skill development and knowledge sharing within allowed boundaries

Community Building

Foster positive relationships and contribute to Uganda's cybersecurity community

Need Help or Have Questions?

For inquiries, clarifications, or technical support:

admin@uguntu.com

Hack responsibly, Cyber Stars! 🌟

© 2025 Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) | UG-CERT

Building Uganda's Cybersecurity Future, One Challenge at a Time