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Netwars Competition

NetWars is one of the key competitions in the United States Cyber Challenge

For an overview of the Challenge, please click here to download the description from the White House web site.

Netwars: SANS' Capture the Flag Competition Designed to Identify Future Security Experts

Do you really know your way around computers? Do you think you can recover the password from a computer? Take control of a service? Protect the system against other players who might want to take it over?

Netwars is the latest online game: an adventure across the Internet. You can play the game as an analyst, a penetration tester, a defender, or any combination. You earn points by finding keys, moving to higher levels, capturing services such as a website, overcoming obstacles (attack techniques) and protecting resources (defensive techniques). You can see the other players' scores and your own points scored, live, or on an overall scoreboard.

The NetWars game is a collection of computer and network security challenges. It is designed to represent real-world security issues: their flaws and their resolutions. Each player can follow an independent path based on individual problem solving skills, technical skills, aptitude, and creativity. The game is played in a fun but safe environment using the technology that drives our lives every day.

The game starts when a player downloads and starts a CD-ROM image on a PC or in a virtual environment such as VMware Player. The image contains a brief tutorial and the game's full instructions.

The player must find a hidden key within the image that is downloaded and then uses that key to enter an online environment where knowledge of security vulnerabilities and their exploits can be turned into points.

The NetWars game can be played in a few hours over one or several days.

The first round, called the Pioneer Round, is being played June 22-29. Additional rounds will be posted as soon as the results from the first round are analyzed and the game adjusted.

Eligibility: The game is aimed at students from high school through graduate school. Others may play as well.

You don't have to be an overall winner to earn bragging rights.

All who play fairly and well will get recognition and many will get awards.

If you want to play, sign up at: NetWars Registration

If you have questions drop us a note at netwars@sans.org