Grid Lock.
Smart cities in dark hours.
The city’s lights are out, and its traffic grid, power and sensors are up for grabs. Round eight is a two-stage CTF: an online qualifier open to anyone, then a one-day finale in Hackk for the strongest players and teams.
Qualification
1st–14th February 2027
Virtual competition
Finale
25th February 2027
Bratislava, Slovakia
Players
Students & Pros
Enter as an individual or team
Open Competition
Free Entry
All finale teams win prizes
Schedule
Dinner with finalists
An evening with all finalist teams the night before the finale.
Doors & registration
Check in, grab a coffee, and get to know your team.
Briefing
An introduction to the game, the rules, and what to expect.
Network opens
Players get access to their landscape.
Game on
All systems go. The red team begins their attack.
Game over
The game stops. Hands off the keyboard.
Debrief & Awards
The red team reveals their moves, and the winners are announced.
This was my second year as a guardian and especially final rounds are always positively unforgettable! Guardians taught me a lot of new valuable skills.
Guardians Player · Anonymous
It was great CTF, the difficulty was just right for intermediate analyst, but there were also tasks that were challenging, in a good way, even for experienced analysts.
Guardians Player · David K.
My first CTF ever. I liked the real world scenarios and that I learned things, I would never have stumbled upon. The support from you guys was great.
Guardians Player · Anonymous
Frequently
asked questions
What Skills Do I Need?
The competition is designed for players with a basic understanding of Windows and Linux operating systems, computer networks, and fundamental security concepts.
What Challenges Will I Face?
Qualification Round: Participants must investigate and analyze evidence of a past security breach, reconstruct the timeline of the attack, and identify the key indicators of compromise.
Finals: Participants will face a live attack on their virtual infrastructure. They will need to detect, contain, and recover from the attack while managing and monitoring SIEM systems. Tasks include making decisions on next steps while starting with full admin access to assigned systems, which may later be expanded or restricted.
Do I Need to Bring My Own Gear?
Qualification Round: Participants must use their own laptops, but no special tools are required.
Finals: Laptops will be provided by the organizers.
What Are the Prizes?
The winning team earns the title of Top Guardian, along with cybersecurity gadgets and other exciting rewards.
How Does the Scoring System Work?
Blue teams earn points for defense, analysis, and recovery efforts. At the end of the game, scores are tallied, and the team with the highest score wins.