What makes a good CTF challenge?
Medium – cryptax
A good CTF should require implementing and deploying a cybersecurity concept, not just using pre-made tools
The challenge should make participants learn and apply an in-depth understanding
The solution should rely on logic and problem-solving, not wild guesses
Each step should unveil a clear path forward, with the difficulty lying in execution rather than determining the solution
Guesswork is when there are too many possibilities with no clues, like trying common vulnerability names as passwords
Providing hints to narrow it down makes it a logic challenge
Other ingredients for a compelling CTF include:
Scenarios mirroring real-life situations
Intriguing devices/techniques for participants
An engaging narrative
Thorough testing of the challenge
For OSINT (open source intelligence) challenges, pure guessing is avoided by having a clear path to find precise information step-by-step, sometimes aided by tools
Challenges shouldn’t just require using the right tool that solves everything, as that doesn’t allow learning and is not fun.
Link: https://cryptax.medium.com/what-makes-a-good-ctf-challenge-7bf4bf4fa112