Cherry Creek's Annual CTF Competition
CCHS's exciting cybersecurity Capture The Flag competition
About CreekCTF
CreekCTF is Cherry Creek High School's annual cybersecurity competition, where students compete to solve challenges and "capture flags" — secret strings hidden within each challenge. This competition is designed for all skill levels and can be enjoyed by anyone interested in cybersecurity, puzzles, or problem-solving.
Competition Format
CreekCTF is a capture the flag competition where participants solve challenges in various categories including cryptography, web exploitation, reverse engineering, and more. Participants can only compete in teams of 2-4 people.
Who Can Participate
CreekCTF is open to all high school students. No prior experience in cybersecurity is required, but a basic understanding of computer science concepts is helpful. If you're bringing your own laptop, please ensure it can run virtual machines using software like VMware, VirtualBox, or similar.
Code of Conduct
All participants are expected to adhere to our Code of Conduct throughout the competition. Please review our Code of Conduct document before participating.
Competition Format
- Compete in groups of 2-4 students
- Challenges range from beginner to advanced difficulty
- Multiple challenge categories to explore different skills
- Scoreboard to track progress and standings in real-time
- Points awarded based on challenge difficulty
Who Can Participate
- All Skill Levels: From beginners to advanced
- Any High School Student: No prior experience required
- Computer Requirements: Cherry Creek School District students can use library computers with VMware; others please bring your own laptop
- All Grades: Open to freshmen through seniors
- Perfect for: Computer Science students, Cybersecurity Club members, or anyone curious about cybersecurity
Challenge Categories
CreekCTF covers a variety of cybersecurity concepts through different challenge categories:
Cryptography
Decode secret messages, crack ciphers, and unlock encrypted data
Steganography
Find hidden messages and data concealed within images, audio, or other files
Forensics
Investigate digital evidence like network captures and system logs to uncover hidden information
General Skills
Basic computer skills, command line usage, and logical problem solving
Benefits of Participation
- Learn practical cybersecurity skills in a fun, gamified environment
- Develop problem-solving and critical thinking abilities
- Prepare for national competitions like CyberPatriot and picoCTF
- Gain hands-on experience with real-world security concepts
- Add valuable experience to college applications and résumés
Competition Details
Location
Tech Center - Cherry Creek High School
Usually held in the IC Library
Duration
3 Hours
Plenty of time to work through challenges at your own pace
Stay Fueled During CreekCTF
We typically offer an optional dinner during the competition.
- Payment options:
- Discounted price if pre-paid before the event
- Slightly higher price if paid at the door
- Dinner includes a dinner and drink
- Details will be provided closer to the event date
One dinner ticket per participant.
How to Prepare
No prior experience is required to participate in CreekCTF, but if you want to get a head start, here are some resources to help you prepare:
Beginner Resources
- PicoCTF Learning Resources - Great starting point for beginners
- Youtube! - Great resource for learning everything
- TryHackMe - Interactive cybersecurity training
- Attend Cybersecurity Club meetings for hands-on practice
What to Bring
- Laptop with a browser, as well as software to run a virtual machine like VMware (if your're not a CCSD student)
- Charger
- Notebook and pen for writing notes to help you solve the challenge
- Snacks and water
- Yourself :)
Join the Next CreekCTF
Form your team of 2-4 students and watch for registration details.