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SECCON CTF 2023 Rules

1 INTRODUCTION

The SECCON CTF 2023 (hereinafter referred to as the "Tournament") is operated and managed by SECCON, the SECCON Executive Committee (hereinafter referred to as the “EXCOM”, and Japan Network Security Association, Specified Non-profit Organization in Japan (hereinafter referred to as “JNSA”). This rule set forth the official rules for the Tournament (hereinafter referred to as the "Rules", including related notes).

The EXCOM will conduct the Tournament in accordance with the Rules, and reserves the right to rule on any matter not covered by the Rules, or in the event that the application of the Rules would result in a significant lack of fairness.

2 OUTLINE OF THE TOURNAMENT

The Tournament is a contest in which participants compete the various techniques related to information security. This year’s Tournament consists of the online qualifying round (SECCON CTF 2023 Quals) and the on-site final round (SECCON CTF 2023 Finals). The final round includes the International Final and the Domestic Final. A total of JPY1,000,000 will be awarded to some of the top-performing teams in this competition. However, the teams must meet the prescribed requirements in order to receive the prize money. The other details of this competition are as follows.

Qualifying Round (SECCON CTF 2023 Quals)

Final Round (SECCON CTF 2023 Finals)

3 ELIGIBILITY

The following qualifications are required to participate in the Tournament. If the EXCOM determines that a applicant does not meet any of the following qualifications, such applicant will not be allowed to participate in the Tournament. No participant shall not object to or appeal the decision of the EXCOM.

  1. You may enter individually or as a team, and all of them have to agree to these Rules. If you enter as a team, all members of the team must meet the eligibility requirements set forth in this section.
  2. You have applied for participation by submitting the entry form ("Entry") on the SECCON 2023 website ("Website"). Any false, erroneous or incomplete in the entry form in whole or in part shall not be eligible to participate the Tournament.
  3. If you are under 18 years of age at the time of entry, you must obtain the consent of a parent or guardian to participate in this tournament. If you fail to submit the parental consent form upon participation to the Final Round, you will be disqualified from participating the Final Round. In addition, the EXCOM will request the participants to submit the parental consent form of a parent or guardian as necessary.
  4. You are able to receive and response to communications from the EXCOM during the Tournament.
  5. You understand and comply with the Rules and SECCON's Code of Conduct.
  6. You are not involved in the production of CTF questions.
  7. You, including your relatives, shall not be an antisocial force (such as a crime syndicate, a member of a crime syndicate, a quasi-member of a crime syndicate, a corporation related to a crime syndicate, a socially motivated criminal organization, a politically motivated criminal organization, a specially intelligent violent group, or any other similar group) or a person who have any contact or relationship with antisocial forces such as cooperating or being involved in the maintenance, operation or management of antisocial forces thorough provision of funds or other means.

4 HOW TO ENTER

  1. You must register at SECCON CTF 2023’s score server and submit your entry form. At that time, you need to answer all questions on the Entry form.
  2. For the Entry, you must meet the requirements of "3 Eligibility".
  3. You may register only once. If you enter as a team, prize money will be awarded only to the representative listed on the team registration (listed as the prize money recipient) SECCON and the EXCOM takes no liability for the distribution of payment to other group members.
  4. When you submit the Entry form, you shall be deemed to have accepted to be bound by this Rules and all the decisions of EXCOM are final.
  5. In the event that the number of entries exceeds the maximum number of participants, the participants for this Tournament will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis.

5 TOURNAMENT FORMAT AND METHOD OF DETERMINING WINNERS

  1. The Qualifying Round will be held in Jeopardy format, and it will be conducted online.
  2. Method of determining the winner Dynamic scoring will be used as the scoring method. Winners will be determined by this scoring method, and the ranking will be determined in the order of the highest points. The scoring method and the method of determining the ranking will be announced separately on the score server.
  3. The participants with the outstanding score in the Qualifying Round will be awarded qualification to the Final Round. If the team with the best record declines to participate in the Final Round, the next highest ranked participant will be carried forward to qualify for the Final Round.
  4. Participants to the Final Round will be awarded prize money according to their performance in the Tournament as provided in the article 8 of the Rule. Details of prize money shall be prescribed separately. Prize money will not be awarded if the participant is disqualified from the Tournament, abandons or gives up the Tournament midway, or is found to fall under any of the prohibited activities as specified in "6 Prohibited Activities".

6 Prohibited Activities

Participants must not engage in any of the following activities:

  1. Violation of this Rule
  2. Actions that violate laws and regulations or that are related to criminal activities
  3. Infringement of the intellectual property rights, portrait rights, rights of privacy, rights of honor, or any other rights or interests of SECCON, the EXCOM, other participants, or any other third party
  4. Fraud or threats against SECCON, the EXCOM, other participants, or third parties
  5. Offensive language or behavior toward others (including verbal abuse, slander, insults, coercion, harassment, or any other language or behavior that the EXCOM considers as inappropriate as the language or behavior of a participant in this Tournament)
  6. Interference with other participants
  7. Peeking at another Participant's answers, etc.
  8. Providing the exercise question, hint, or answer to someone other than the members of his/her team during the Tournament.
  9. Obtaining any hints or answers from any person other than the members of the own team during the Tournament, except those given by the EXCOM.
  10. Attacks on servers and network system other than those permitted by the exercise question.
  11. Actions that place an excessive burden on the competition network, server, system, etc.
  12. Intentionally encouraging another participant to lose, or intentionally losing in response to such encouragement
  13. To distribute prize money to another participant who does not belong to the own team or to approach others with the promise to do so during the Tournament.
  14. Failure to comply with any instructions or requests by the EXCOM, which are necessary for the progress of the Tournament. In addition, acts that may intentionally obstruct or interfere with the operation of the Tournament.
  15. Failing to properly answer questions from the staff of the EXCOM that are necessary for the event to proceed, or making a false declaration.
  16. Act of impersonating
  17. Causing disadvantage, damage, or discomfort to SECCON, the EXCOM, other participants, or other third parties
  18. Supply of benefits to antisocial forces, etc.
  19. Acts that are offensive to public order and morals
  20. Directly or indirectly causing or facilitating any of the prohibited acts set forth in this section
  21. Attempt to commit any of the prohibited acts set forth in this section
  22. Any other activities that the EXCOM deems inappropriate.

7 PENALTIES

  1. If the EXCOM deems that a participant violates the Rules or any one of the prohibitions set forth in above, the participant who violated will be penalized with disqualification from the Tournament. In addition, if the EXCOM determines that the violation is serious, the participant may be banned from future competitions or suspended from participation.
  2. If a participant is disqualified from the Tournament due to a penalty, he/she will be disqualified from wining the prize money.
  3. In the event that a participant causes damage to SECCON, the EXCOM and/or JNSA due to a violation of the Rules, SECCON, the EXCOM and/or JNSA may make a legal claim, including a claim for compensation for damages, against the participant.

8 PRIZE

  1. The prize money is only available to those who meet all of the following requirements. The participants must provide all information necessary to received prize money as required by SECCON and the EXCOM.
    1. The individual must be able to provide all the information required for remittance by the bank designated by JNSA, and must be a qualified individual to whom the bank is able to remit money according to the regulations of the bank. (*If the prize winner falls under the remittance regulations based on the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act or export control regulations, etc., remittance from the designated bank is not possible.)
    2. Submit the written exercise solution description (“write-ups,” a document showing how the exercise problem was solved) specified by the EXCOM. (The format, method of submission, deadline, etc. will be informed by the EXCOM after the end of the Tournament. If the EXCOM finds that the content of the document is inappropriate as an explanation of how to solve the exercise problem, the EXCOM may set a separate submission deadline and ask the winner to resubmit the document.) (*This document will only be shared with the EXCOM and will only be used to verify that there is no fraud and will not be made available to the public.)
    3. If the winner resides in Japan, he/she must present JNSA with his/her “my-number” and other identification documents necessary for tax processing.
  2. If the winner fails to submit the information requested in the mentioned above, or if the winner cannot be contacted or confirmed due to such failure, such winner is disqualified as a reward recipient and the prize money will not be delivered. In addition, no prize will be awarded if the remittance cannot be made at the discretion of the remitting bank in Japan. SECCON, the EXCOM, and JNSA shall not be liable to any such failure.
  3. All taxes and other expenses incurred by the prize recipient are the sole responsibility of the prize recipient, and SECCON, the EXCOM and JNSA shall not be liable to any such legal liabilities.
  4. The total prize money is JPY1,000,000. Details such as the distribution table for each ranking will be announced separately on the Notification page and the score server. In the case of overseas remittance, the exchange rate at the time of remittance of the relevant amount shall apply.
  5. In the event that a potential prize recipient is disqualified pursuant to section 2 or section 6 of this article, the runner-up to the disqualified winner shall become the alternative potential prize recipient (“Advance Winner”) and shall be eligible to receive the prize money. In the event that the prize money is not awarded to the Advance Winner pursuant to Section 8(2), the runner-up to the Advance Winner shall be the alternate potential prize recipient, and shall be eligible to receive the prize money.
  6. Any person who qualifies for the prize money award for theTournament shall forfeit the right to receive the prize money unless he/she completes the procedures required by this Rules and the EXCOM within one (1) month from the date of receipt of the notice from the EXCOM regarding the remittance of the prize money. If the date of receipt of the notification is not clear, it will be deemed to have been received after three (3) business days from the date the EXCOM sends (including by email) the above notification.

9 OTHER RELATED MATTERS TO THE TOURNAMENTS

  1. As a general rule, English will be used for questions and announcements during the Tournament.
  2. Information and Q/A during the Tournament will be provided by the method separately announced on the score server.
  3. Detailed information regarding the Tournament will be provided in the competition environment on a case-by-case basis.

10 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

  1. SECCON, the EXCOM and JNSA do not warrant, expressly or implicitly, the integrity of the competition system or any problems that may arise. SECCON, the EXCOM and JNSA do not warrant that the competition will be free from defects. SECCON, the EXCOM and JNSA shall not be liable for any damages incurred by participants.
  2. The EXCOM reserves the right to postpone or suspend the Tournament in the event of server or system trouble or other operational necessity. SECCON, the EXCOM and JNSA shall not be responsible or liable for any damages or losses of any kind, including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages arising out of any postponement or interruption of the event.
  3. SECCON, the EXCOM and JNSA shall not be liable for any trouble between participants or for any damage or losses of any kind, including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages caused by a participant's violation of the Rules, except in cases where such damage or losses are attributable to instructions or responses of the SECCON, the EXCOM or JNSA or others involved in the management of the Tournament.
  4. SECCON, the SECCON Executive Committee and JNSA shall not be liable for any damages or losses caused to other participants or third parties during the Tournament or for any action or omission made in connection with the Tournament, such as infringement of intellectual property rights, theft of ideas, slander, or discrimination.

11 RIGHTS OF PORTRAIT OR PUBLICITY, AND HANDLING OF THE PERSONAL INFORMATION

  1. By entering, participants agree and consents to permit that the EXCOM may use the information regarding the strategies and the attributes of the participants for the purpose of improving this Tournament and for advertising and publicity of the SECCON-CTF. In addition, the personal information of participants provided at the time of entry will be used within the scope of the operation of this tournament and publicity related to this tournament.
  2. Participants agree and consents to permit the EXCOM to use their portrait or handle names on the websites (including, but not limited to, this Website), Facebook, and other media created by the EXCOM and other parties involved in the Tournament (*). Howev, if a participant who does not want his/her photograph(s) published inform the EXCOM, photograph(s) of such participant will no be used. In addition, the participants agree that SECCON, the EXCOM and JNSA may use the participant's personal information as (i) statistical information in a form that does not identify the participant, (ii) for the purpose of paying the prize money of the Tournament and (iii) for providing information about the Tournament and other events.
  3. SECCON, the EXCOM and JNSA will handle personal information (including images taken during the Tournament) in accordance with the JNSA Privacy Policy in addition to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

12 CONFIDENTIALITY

Any information regarding the CTF system of which the participants will be exposed or will learn during the Tournament shall remain confidential, and the participants shall not disclose it to any third party for any reason whatsoever.

13 GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

  1. All matters relating to this Tournament and the Rules shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Japan.
  2. Any dispute arising out of this Tournament and the Rules shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Tokyo District Court.

14 MODIFICATION OF THE RULES

  1. SECCON, the EXCOM, and JNSA reserve the right to change this Rules at any time without any notice.
  2. Any changes to the Rules will be posted on the Website and will become effective immediately.

15 CONTACT INFORMATION

NPO Japan Network Security Association

Address:

4F,Hinokiya Bldg, 5-7-12 Shimbashi,
Minato-ku,Tokyo 105-0004, JAPAN
Tel: +81-3-6435-6540
Email: sec@jnsa.org

16 ENACTED AND REVISED ON

Enacted on August 31st, 2023