As a network or security professional, working with PCAPs comes with the territory. Some CTFs also include PCAP challenges, and while Wireshark is the software of choice for some people, learning other tools can help get the flag quickly. In this post, I will cover command-line utilities one can use when working with PCAPs. Misspelled user agent In one of the CTFs I participated in, the task was to find misspelled user agent string. You can do this with Wireshark, but Tshark and Linux …
CTF
Working with logs
In some CTFs, working with logs is part of the challenge. While you can certainly use your favorite text editor to find things, I believe it is better to use Linux command-line utilities to acquire the flags quickly. With that said, arming yourself with Linux skills is paramount to your success in CTFs and the real world. This post will cover a few Linux command-line utilities I use in CTFs, typically. Word count Some low-difficulty CTF questions would ask for the number of lines of a …
Turkey Express Mini CTF
Since I have taken Antisyphon training in the past, I am on their email list. I noticed that I received an email from them on November 21st about their Turkey Express Mini CTF. I know about their cyber range but never signed up for it, even though I was curious. Since they released this CTF, I will treat this as a sample for their cyber range. It may not be fair, but I do not have anything to go on. Challenges When I signed up for their CTF, I was delighted to see there were …
Penetration Testing 101 – CTF Edition
As mentioned in my previous article, I participated in a CTF competition. Part of that CTF competition included OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) and penetration testing exercises. Today, I want to discuss penetration testing 101 in a CTF environment. Pre-engagement Pentesting in the real world starts with the pre-engagement phase. This phase involves engaging with the client to find out their goals, scope of work, etc. It's different in a CTF environment. Some CTF will give you the …
My CTF Experience
Our Information Security Office (ISO) hosted its first-ever capture the flag (CTF) event recently during the Cybersecurity & Privacy Festival. The CTF was open to all staff for a whole week from 10/19 - 10/23. It was engaging, educational, exhausting, frustrating, and infuriating. In this post, I want to share my CTF experience. I will also include some information about the challenges and my thought process. Bonus: I incorporated a mini-CTF. I encourage you to try it out! View …