Info on HITBSecConf2006 Capture The Flag contest

Hack In The Box (M) Sdn. Bhd. has announced that it will once again host the region’s best known Capture The Flag hacking competition during the upcoming HITBSecConf2006 to be held from 18-21 September 2006 at The Westin Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Capture The Flag, or CTF as it is better known, is a team-based competition where teams of 3-5 players pit their skills in defending a server against computer security attacks from other teams. At the same time, these teams will be attacking the servers of other teams in order to gain points.

Held over two days, teams will be scored on their ability to defend their servers in the wake of exploitable software as well as their ability to exploit security bugs on the servers of their competitors. At the end of the competition, the team with the most points will be adjudged the winner.

The first placed team will receive RM3,000 in cash with RM2,000 and RM1,000 going to the teams placed second and third respectively. What the winning teams will treasure more are the bragging rights among their peers at having been successful in being adjudged the best hacking team in the region.

“The CTF creates an avenue for hackers to show their skills in an environment that is both legal, fun and at the same time allows information security practitioners the opportunity to showcase their security research capabilities and skills,” said Meling Mudin, lead organizer of the Capture The Flag competition and a core member of the HITB team.

The conference proper features keynote speakers Bruce Schneier, Founder and Chief Technical Officer of Counterpane Internet Security; Mark Curphey, Vice President of Consulting at Foundstone; and John Viega, Chief Security Architect at McAfee Inc.