Hackers Gambit 2026 – International Capture The Flag (CTF) Competition Hackers Gambit 2026 is an International-Level Capture The Flag (CTF) Competition organized by JCOE Cyber Sentinels , Jaihind College of Engineering, Kuran. The event aims to bring together students, cybersecurity enthusiasts, researchers, and professionals from around the world to compete in a challenging cybersecurity competition designed to test technical expertise, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The competition consists of two stages : Round 1 – Online Qualifier (48
Hours) Date: 2 October 2026 – 4
October 2026 Time: 12:00 PM IST (2 Oct) to 12:00 PM IST (4
Online Duration: 48 Hours Participants will solve real-world cybersecurity challenges across multiple categories, including: Web Security Cryptography Reverse Engineering Digital Forensics Binary Exploitation (Pwn) Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Steganography Miscellaneous Challenges The online qualifier will determine the Top 15 teams , who will advance to the Grand Finale. Round 2 – Grand
Finale (Offline) Date: 30 October 2026 – 31
October 2026 Time: 12:00 PM IST (30 Oct) to 12:00 PM IST (31
Offline Venue: Jaihind College of Engineering, Kuran, Maharashtra,
India Duration: 24 Hours The finalists will compete in an intensive 24-hour CTF featuring advanced security challenges designed to test technical depth, teamwork, endurance, and creativity. The competition concludes with the Prize Distribution and Closing Ceremony.
Eligibility: Open to participants from all countries . Students, researchers, professionals, and cybersecurity enthusiasts are welcome. Participants must comply with all competition rules and ethical hacking guidelines. No prior professional cybersecurity experience is required. Participants below 18 years of age should obtain parental or institutional consent if required by local regulations.
Team Formation: Individual participation is allowed. Team participation is allowed. Maximum 3 members per team. Inter-college teams are allowed. Inter-university teams are allowed. Inter-specialization teams are allowed. International teams are allowed. Team composition cannot be changed after registrations close without prior approval from the organizing committee.
Competition Format Online Qualifier: Jeopardy-style Capture The Flag competition. Multiple categories with varying difficulty levels. Challenges carry different point values. Dynamic scoring may be implemented. Live leaderboard throughout the competition (subject to organizer discretion).
Grand Finale: Advanced Jeopardy-style CTF with higher difficulty. Additional real-world security scenarios may be introduced. Teams compete on-site under supervised conditions. Final rankings are determined based on score and challenge completion.
Venue
Write-up Submission: Following the online qualifier, participants may be required to submit technical write-ups explaining their solutions for selected challenges. Write-ups will be evaluated for: Technical accuracy Originality Proper methodology Fair play verification Failure to submit the required write-up within the deadline may affect qualification for the Grand Finale.
Rules: Participants must use only their own skills and knowledge. Sharing flags, solutions, or challenge content during the competition is strictly prohibited. Attacking the competition infrastructure or other participant systems is strictly prohibited. Denial-of-Service (DoS/DDoS) attacks are not permitted. Any attempt to compromise the CTF platform, organizers' infrastructure, or other teams will result in immediate disqualification. Automated exploitation tools are allowed only where explicitly permitted by challenge rules. Organizers reserve the right to request write-ups or additional verification for challenge solutions. Any form of plagiarism, impersonation, collusion, or unfair means will lead to disqualification. The organizing committee's decision shall be final and binding.
Judging Criteria: Teams will be evaluated based on: Total points earned Number of successfully solved challenges Correct flag submissions Quality of required technical write-ups Compliance with competition rules
Registration Closes: 26
September 2026 Online Qualifier: 2–4
October 2026 Write-up Submission: 4–6 October 2026
Top 15 Teams Announcement: 10 October 2026
Grand Finale (Offline): 30–31 October 2026
Awards & Closing Ceremony: 31
October 2026 Prizes: Cash prizes, trophies, certificates, sponsor goodies, and exclusive rewards will be announced soon. Every verified participant will receive a digital Certificate of Participation. Winners and finalists will receive certificates of achievement and other recognition.