We are pleased to announce that the following competitions will pre-qualify competitors for DEF CON Capture the Flag 2015. In order of contest start dates:
| Competition | Start Date | End Date | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEF CON CTF 2014 | May 17, 2014 | Aug. 10, 2014 | https://legitbs.net/2014/ | Qualified the Plaid Parliament of Pwning |
| SECCON CTF 2014 | Dec. 12, 2014 | Feb. 8, 2015 | http://ctf.seccon.jp/timeline.html | Qualifications round finished, finals in February 2015. |
| RuCTFE 2014 | Dec. 20, 2014 | Dec. 20, 2014 | http://ructf.org/e/2014/ | Online attack-defense, register now! |
| Ghost in the Shellcode | Jan. 16, 2015 | Jan. 18, 2015 | http://ghostintheshellcode.com/ | Jeopardy-style, on-site at ShmooCon or play online. |
| Boston Key Party | Feb. 27, 2015 | Mar. 1, 2015 | http://bostonkeyparty.net | Online jeopardy style game. |
| PlaidCTF | Apr. 17, 2015 | Apr. 19, 2015 | http://www.plaidctf.com/ | Online jeopardy style game. |
| DEF CON CTF Qualifiers 2015 | TBA | TBA | https://legitbs.net/ | Online jeopardy style, more announcements in 2015. |
The best way to get good at Capture the Flag is by playing CTF games, learning what the experience is like, becoming familiar with the flow for solving challenges and writing exploits, and documenting your process. Your road to Vegas, no matter how long it is, starts with competition.