CyberPaws CTF: Week 11 (Spring)
Homefield Advantage
The next CyberPaws CTF challenge has been released! Please submit your flag to the "Prize Pup Bot" on our Discord via DMs, using the `!submit` command! You have until our next meeting to submit. The flag will always be in the following format: Paws{ex4mpl3_fl4g}.
Category: Web
Challenge Name: Homefield Advantage
You have taken on the role of a passionate Baltimore native and avid baseball fan. Your mission is clear: Gunnar Henderson, your hometown hero, is vying for the prestigious title of MLB MVP. But there is a catch—he is trailing behind and needs an additional ONE MILLION (1,000,000) votes to secure his victory.
However, the online voting platform the MLB uses appears to restrict each user to a single vote. With this limitation in place, your task is to manipulate the system and ensure Gunnar gets the support he deserves. Can you overcome this obstacle and orchestrate a surge of votes to propel Gunnar to MVP glory?
Best of Luck,
William Brooks
CyberDawgs President
Hey CyberDawgs!
It is Election Night! Meetings continue tonight, from
7:10 PM to 9:00 PM in
ITE 231. You can also join us virtually on
Webex:
https://umbc.webex.com/meet/CyberDawgs.
Everyone is invited to attend.
Tonight will be our Annual Club Board Elections. There are four (4) Elected Board positions in the CyberDawgs Club: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. You may run for more than 1 position, but you may only hold 1 of these 4 positions at a time. You must be an undergrad in order to hold an elected board position. If elected, your term will run from May 1st, 2024 to April 30th, 2025.
If you've enjoyed attending the meetings and want them them to continue, please think about filling out a nomination form. If we do not fill these positions, we can not operate as a club. Also, it is a responsibility of outgoing officers to help with the transition of new officers, so don't hesitate to apply if you feel like you don't know everything.
You can apply using the nomination form link below:
Elected Board Position Responsibilities
As a reminder, this week's submissions for the CyberPaws CTF challenge will close at the start of tonight's meeting. Remember to submit your flag! Also, if you would like a hint, you can DM a board member to receive one.
Again, don't hesitate to reach out to me on Discord (@truegritter), if you have any questions. And as always, Don't Do Crime.
Kind Regards,
William Brooks
CyberDawgs President
]]>
Hey CyberDawgs! It is Election Night! Meetings continue tonight, from 7:10 PM to 9:00 PM in ITE 231. You can also join us virtually on Webex: https://umbc.webex.com/meet/CyberDawgs. Everyone...
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Mon, 29 Apr 2024 16:01:03 -0400
Tue, 30 Apr 2024 10:50:43 -0400
CyberDawgs Team Spring Tryout Information
FRI, MAY 3 [12:00 - 15:00] | SAT, MAY 4 [12:00 - 15:00]
Hey CyberDawgs,
Below is Information on the team tryouts, coming to you May 3rd & 4th!
First, here is the Application Form (Open to Undergrads and Grads):
Overview:
As a team, the CyberDawgs participate in numerous collegiate cyber competitions where we have achieved national recognition, including DOE CyberForce in Illinois, ISTS in New York, and MACCDC right here at home in Maryland.
While we have a history of success and high achievement, we're not just looking for folks who are already cybersecurity gurus. You do need to have a solid defensive cyber foundation, but our highest emphases are on communication, group cohesion, and being able to continue doing this for fun.
When/Where
- ENG 231 (probably)
- Friday, May 3rd, 12:00 - 15:00
- Saturday, May 4th, 12:00 - 15:00
You only need to select 1 of these dates/times above to tryout.
Preparing for Tryouts
At the tryouts, you'll be assessed on your defensive cyber capabilities and knowledge as well as your documentation, interpersonal, and communication skills. The tryout packet, available only at the tryouts, will provide more information.
To prepare, focus on learning and reviewing:
- what constitutes a cyber security vulnerability
- how to secure an operating system (i.e. a 'box') that is vulnerable
- how to manually find indicators of compromise, after an assumed breach
You do not need to know a suite of tools for tryouts. You will not be given tools, aside from Nmap.
Tryout FAQs
What OS do I need to know?
- You'll be asked in the application which type of OS you're most comfortable with and you'll be assigned a similar box to that for tryouts. So, if you indicate you're most familiar with Windows, you'll get a Windows server at tryouts. Linux people get a Linux server. You will only have to manage 1 machine.
Will there be a technical interview? No
Will I be asked coding questions? No
Will I need to know offensive security? No
Will I need to bring my own laptop? YES
Will I be able to keep the tryout packet? No
Tryout Preparation Resources
Below is some important information to consider for tryouts:
- Recall that you will be assigned a virtual machine for tryouts. Which one you get is determined by your answer to the question "With which operating system are you most experienced?" When considering your answer to that question, consider that it is asking about experience in system administration, digital forensics, incident response, and general usage. This is a cybersecurity team tryouts. Keep that in mind.
- The virtual machine you will be assigned for tryouts doesn't use your local resources. Therefore, the specs of your personal laptop hardly matter. Bring and use whatever laptop with which you feel most comfortable
- The only requirement of the laptop you bring to tryouts is that is has RDP (only if you choose Windows), SSH (only if you choose Linux), and a WIFI adapter, because you need to be able to get on the tryout network via WIFI.
- It would probably help you to have Discord installed, though
- If your laptop has a Windows 'home' operating system, you might not natively have RDP. If you choose Windows as your tryout box, you will need RDP. Try this: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/microsoft-remote-desktop/9WZDNCRFJ3PS?hl=en-gb&gl=GB
Final Thoughts
Remember you don't need to be a pro to tryout! Its always a good experience! If you have questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to reach out.
Kevin Chen (@_winter_1314),
CyberDawgs Team Captain/Manager & Senior Infrastructure Engineer
The next CyberPaws CTF challenge has been released! Please submit your flag to the "Prize Pup Bot" on our Discord via DMs, using the `!submit` command! You have until our next meeting to submit. The flag will always be in the following format: Paws{ex4mpl3_fl4g}.
Category: Reverse Engineering
Challenge Name: Baby's First Reversing
The same group of cyber criminals whose Python encryption scheme you looked at last week, are back at it again!
This time they're using a compiled C Binary (reverse_me) instead of Python. That means you don't have access to the source code this time around.
But we still have important messages (encrypted_flag.txt) that need decrypting. We need your help!
Best of Luck,
William Brooks
CyberDawgs President
Hey CyberDawgs!
Happy Monday! Our weekly meetings continue tonight, from
7:10 PM to 9:00 PM in
ITE 231. You can also join us virtually on
Webex:
https://umbc.webex.com/meet/CyberDawgs.
Everyone is invited to attend.
Tonight will be our Cyber Competition Team Informational Meeting. You’ll have the chance to hear directly from the team captain, Kevin (@_winter_1314), about the team’s involvement in competitions and general activities. Furthermore, the dates and details for our team tryouts will be discussed. So, if you are interested in getting involved with UMBC’s official cyber competition team, you definitely want to attend tonight’s meeting!
As a reminder, this week's submissions for the CyberPaws CTF challenge will close at the start of tonight's meeting. Remember to submit your flag! Also, if you would like a hint, you can DM a board member to receive one.
Again, don't hesitate to reach out to me on Discord (@truegritter), if you have any questions. And as always, Don't Do Crime.
Kind Regards,
William Brooks
CyberDawgs President
]]>
Hey CyberDawgs! Happy Monday! Our weekly meetings continue tonight, from 7:10 PM to 9:00 PM in ITE 231. You can also join us virtually on Webex: https://umbc.webex.com/meet/CyberDawgs....
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CyberDawgs
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Mon, 22 Apr 2024 15:42:46 -0400
Win Tech Prizes at DawgCTF 2024
Sign-Up and Compete to Win Prizes this Saturday!
Hey CyberDawgs,
DawgCTF 2024 is quickly approaching (Saturday, April 20th), and I wanted to send a reminder about the prizes you can win at the in-person component of our event!
Prizes (See Attached Flyer for Photos)*:
Anker Power Bank, 20,000mAh with USB-C Fast Charging
Raspberry Pi 4 (8GB) Complete Starter Kit (64GB SD)
FHD 1080P 15.6” Portable Monitor
Sign-Up Now to Compete for Prizes!
The in-person component of the event will take place in Public Policy 105 from 11:30 AM-7:30 PM on Sat, Apr. 20. It is open to all UMBC Students. No prior experience is required to compete! There will also be FREE PIZZA, DRINKS, and CANDY. You don't want to miss this!
DawgCTF is a team competition. Max team size is 4, but you can also play on a team by yourself if you want, but more people increases your chances to win.
As a heads up, you can form teams up to competition start (12 PM, Sat.). My advice would be register NOW and find people to form a team with on Saturday.
*Prizes will only be awarded to the UMBC students on the three highest-scoring teams present at the In-Person Component of DawgCTF on Saturday, April 20th, at 7 PM. The members of the highest-scoring team will have the first pick of the prizes above, followed by the members of the second-highest-scoring team, and finally, the members of the third-highest-scoring team.
Kind Regards,
William Brooks
CyberDawgs President
]]>
Hey CyberDawgs, DawgCTF 2024 is quickly approaching (Saturday, April 20th), and I wanted to send a reminder about the prizes you can win at the in-person component of our event! Prizes (See...
https://forms.gle/VEJfJSKiTQvvbz927
Flyer
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CyberDawgs
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Thu, 18 Apr 2024 19:22:25 -0400
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 15:38:49 -0400
Upcoming Club Board Elections, Fill Out Nomination Form Now
APR 29 [7:10PM-9PM] in ITE231
Hey CyberDawgs,
We are hosting 2024-2025 Board Elections at our club meeting on Monday, April 29th.
There are four (4) Elected Board positions in the CyberDawgs Club: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. You may run for more than 1 position, but you may only hold 1 of these 4 positions at a time. You must be an undergrad in order to hold an elected board position. If elected, your term will run from May 1st, 2024 to April 30th, 2025.
If you've enjoyed attending the meetings and want them them to continue, please think about filling out a nomination form. If we do not fill these positions, we can not operate as a club. Also, it is a responsibility of outgoing officers to help with the transition of new officers, so don't stress if you feel like you don't know everything.
You can apply using the nomination form link below:
Elected Board Position Responsibilities
Questions?
If you have questions or concerns about the nomination form or officer positions, don't hesitate to send me a message or email. [Discord: @truegritter] [Email:
wbrooks1@umbc.edu]
Kind Regards,
William Brooks
CyberDawgs President
The next CyberPaws CTF challenge has been released! Please submit your flag to the "Prize Pup Bot" on our Discord via DMs, using the `!submit` command! You have until our next meeting to submit. The flag will always be in the following format: Paws{ex4mpl3_fl4g}.
Category: Crypto
Challenge Name: Unbreakable Encryption
You've been tasked with reverse engineering an encryption system being used by a group of cyber criminals. Luckily for you, your team has managed to recover the python code (crack_this.py) for the encryption program. The bad news is that they couldn't get their hands on the decryption code. Worse yet, there's a crucial message (encrypted_flag.txt) that needs to be decrypted ASAP. See if you can figure out a way to find the text that produces the encrypted flag when run through the attached program.
Best of Luck,
William Brooks
CyberDawgs President
Hey CyberDawgs!
Happy Monday! Our weekly meetings continue tonight, from
7:10 PM to 9:00 PM in
ITE 231. You can also join us virtually on
Webex:
https://umbc.webex.com/meet/CyberDawgs.
Everyone is invited to attend.
Tonight will be covering Linux Hardening/Security, in particular, in Competition Settings. You will have the chance to hear directly from a current team member, about their best practices. This meeting will be incredibly useful if you plan on trying-out for the competition team, regardless of the OS you choose. So, if you are interested in getting involved with the official UMBC cyber competition team or just want to know more about Linux Security, you definitely want to attend the meeting tonight!
As a reminder, this week's submissions for the CyberPaws CTF challenge will close at the start of tonight's meeting. Remember to submit your flag! Also, if you would like a hint, you can DM a board member to receive one.
Again, don't hesitate to reach out to me on Discord (@truegritter), if you have any questions. And as always, Don't Do Crime.
Kind Regards,
William Brooks
CyberDawgs President
]]>
Hey CyberDawgs! Happy Monday! Our weekly meetings continue tonight, from 7:10 PM to 9:00 PM in ITE 231. You can also join us virtually on Webex: https://umbc.webex.com/meet/CyberDawgs....
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CyberDawgs
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Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:24:18 -0400
CyberPaws CTF: Week 8 (Spring)
Lost in the Sauce
The next CyberPaws CTF challenge has been released! Please submit your flag to the "Prize Pup Bot" on our Discord via DMs, using the `!submit` command! You have until our next meeting to submit. The flag will always be in the following format: Paws{ex4mpl3_fl4g}.
Category: OSINT
Challenge Name: Lost in the Sauce
You have intercepted a photo from a secure channel. It depicts a seemingly abandoned building, but intel suggests it will be the location of a high-level hacker meeting. The problem? There's no location information attached to the photo, but we do know that it was taken in 2011 and that the group likes hanging out by the Mediterranean Sea.
Your mission is to leverage Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) techniques to identify the MAJOR CITY nearest to this building. Time is critical! Local authorities need to be alerted before the meeting takes place.
(Note: The flag will be the English name of a major city, in all caps, only letters, no spaces, and should be surrounded by Paws, like so: Paws{NEWDELHI})
Best of Luck,
William Brooks
CyberDawgs President