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SANS Institute and ACT Now Education Launch Free Veterans Day Cybersecurity Competition

The 72-hour BootUp CTF runs November 11 to 14, sponsored by ACT Now Education, with an orientation webinar on November 10

Bethesda, MD - SANS Institute, the global leader in cybersecurity training, is hosting the Veterans Day BootUp Capture the Flag (CTF), a 72-hour competition for people early in their cybersecurity careers, in partnership with ACT Now Education, a nonprofit that connects military-connected individuals with no-cost education, professional development, and career resources. Sponsored by ACT Now Education, the competition is free to participants.

The competition offers people exploring cybersecurity a practical introduction to the field. Participants can build experience through hands-on challenges without paying for access, including service members, veterans, and military spouses considering civilian career opportunities.

“Protecting our digital world takes people who can think critically, adapt, and solve problems under pressure. Our BootUp Capture the Flag experience gives participants a place to start with hands-on cybersecurity challenges where they can explore, learn from mistakes, and build confidence in a safe environment. Together with ACT Now Education, we’re making that experience free, helping service members, veterans, military spouses and their dependents discover their potential and take a first step toward a new mission in cybersecurity,” said Kajal Shelat, Director, Strategic Partnerships and Business Development at SANS Institute.

The BootUp CTF is built for beginner and intermediate players. Participants work through hands-on, gamified challenges on the Ranges.io platform, with room to try approaches that might not work and learn from them. The event is open to anyone, anywhere.

The top three competitors will each receive a subscription to SANS Skills Quest. Placement is determined by hit rate, defined by SANS as the fewest total attempts across all completed challenges. If more than three competitors are tied on hit rate, the tie-breaker is the fastest challenge completion time within that group. Previous SANS BootUp CTF winners may participate but are not eligible to win a prize.

“Military experience builds problem-solving, teamwork, and adaptability. This competition gives participants a no-cost opportunity to apply those strengths to cybersecurity challenges and explore a potential career path,” said Jai Salters, Founder and Executive Director of ACT Now Education. “Our partnership with SANS helps remove a financial barrier to hands-on learning.”

An orientation webinar covering what to expect from the challenge will take place Tuesday, November 10, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET. Speakers include Tyler Corcoran, Program Coordinator, Missions at SANS Institute; Mandy Burdey, General Manager, Cyber Simulations & Ranges at SANS Institute; Jai Salters, Founder at ACT Now Education; and Linda Mosquera, Director of Partnerships and Community Impact at ACT Now Education. Register for the webinar.

The Veterans Day BootUp CTF starts Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. ET and ends Saturday, November 14, at 9:00 a.m. ET. After registering for the orientation webinar, participants should follow the prompt in their SANS account dashboard to register separately for the CTF on Ranges.io. Webinar registration alone does not complete CTF registration. CTF registration closes on Monday, November 9, 2026 at 12 pm ET.

About SANS Institute

The SANS Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. Today, SANS is the most trusted and, by far, the largest provider of cybersecurity training and certification to professionals in government and commercial institutions worldwide. Renowned SANS instructors teach more than 85 courses at in-person and virtual cybersecurity events and OnDemand. GIAC, an affiliate of the SANS Institute, validates practitioner skills through more than 50 hands-on technical certifications in cybersecurity. The SANS Technology Institute, a regionally accredited independent subsidiary, offers master's and bachelor's degrees, graduate certificates, and an undergraduate certificate in cybersecurity. SANS also delivers a wide variety of free resources to the InfoSec community, including consensus projects, research reports, webcasts, podcasts, and newsletters; it also operates the Internet's early warning system, the Internet Storm Center. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners representing varied global organizations, from corporations to universities, working together to support and educate the global information security community.

About ACT Now Education

ACT Now Education is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2021 that connects service members, veterans, military spouses, and their families with no-cost education, certifications, mentorship, and career resources. Through community programs and partnerships, ACT Now helps military-connected individuals build skills, prepare for civilian careers, and connect with employment opportunities. Learn more.