RooCTF Rules
General Rules
Team Size
- There is no limit to team size.
- Solo participation is also allowed.
- No member can participate in more than one team.
Eligibility
- Open to participants of all ages and skill levels.
- Prize eligibility is described below.
Challenge Rules
No Automated Scanning Tools
- Automated vulnerability scanners (e.g.,
dirbuster, dirsearch, nmap, Nessus) are prohibited unless explicitly allowed in the challenge description.
- Use of MCPs is allowed, as long as they do not generate excessive traffic.
No Sharing Flags or Solutions
- Sharing/trading of flags or solutions between teams is not allowed.
- Discussion of challenges is permitted only within your team until the competition ends.
Challenge Environment Respect
- Services or applications hosted as part of the CTF are intended only for solving challenges.
- Do not attack, disrupt, or abuse the infrastructure beyond what’s required.
Follow Challenge Instructions
- Each challenge may include unique rules or constraints. Follow them carefully.
Scoring & Flags
Flag Format
- All flags follow the format:
roo{text-like-i-have-read-the-rules_or_something}
- Case insensitive.
- Unique formats (if any) will be noted in the challenge description.
- Always submit the entire flag string including
roo{}.
Submitting Flags
- Only the first valid flag submission counts.
- Submit immediately after solving; submission time is used as a tiebreaker.
Scoring
- RooCTF uses Dynamic Scoring:
- Challenge point values decrease as more teams solve them.
- All teams receive the same value for a solve, regardless of solve order.
- No first blood bonuses.
- Tiebreaker: team that hits the max score first wins.
Fair Play & Conduct
Be Respectful
- Respect all participants, organizers, and volunteers.
- No offensive language, harassment, or discrimination.
Play Fairly
- Purpose: learn, have fun, test skills.
- Cheating, collusion, or unethical behavior = disqualification.
Reporting Issues
- Report bugs or platform issues via the #helpdesk channel on Discord.
Competition Duration & Prizes
Start & End Time
- Start: October 24, 2025 – 4:00 PM CT
- End: October 25, 2025 – 4:00 PM CT
- No submissions accepted after end time.
Writeups
- Writeup submission period: Monday – Saturday (after CTF ends).
- Submit via public posts in the #writeups channel on Discord.
- Must be in English (translations allowed if linked post is in English).
- Channel made public only after CTF ends.
Prizes
- $2,000 total for the top three college teams on the UMKC campus.
- $1,500 total for the top three high school teams on the UMKC campus.
Disqualification
- Organizers reserve the right to disqualify teams for:
- Breaching rules
- Inappropriate conduct
Rule Changes
- Rules may be updated/modified.
- Changes will be announced to participants.
Contact & Support
Location & Parking
- In-person location: Miller Nichols Library — Rooms 451 & 452, UMKC.
- Note: Parking on the UMKC campus is not free, even on weekends.
- If you need a parking permit, please email Tanya Henderson before 5:00 PM CT on October 24, 2025.
Hint Policy
- No hints once a challenge has at least one solve.
- Hints are public only (
#announcements, CTFd).
- Judges may release hints for heavily solved challenges (100+ teams).
- All organizer-player communications must happen in ticket threads in
#helpdesk.
Final Flag
roo{i_read_the_rules_for_every_ctf}