PECAN+ CTF 2025 2 DAY EVENT in NT - Register Your Interest

Welcome to the PECAN +CTF 2025 NT event!

Get ready for 2 days of thrilling challenges, networking, and fun.

Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the world of cyber security Capture The Flag competitions, this event is perfect for you.

NT Government, Edith Cowan University, the Australian Signals Directorate, competition sponsors and supporters invite Australian high school studetsn in years 9-12 to compete in PECAN +Capture the Flag 2025!

Register now.

What is PECAN +CTF?

PECAN+ is a national Capture The Flag (CTF) style cyber security competition for beginner, intermediate and advanced high school students in Years 9 to 12.

Compete in person to solve challenges, and uncover digital flags, in a range of topic areas including:

• Cryptography
• Digital Forensics
• Linux
• OSINT
• Reverse Engineering
• Steganography and
• Web Exploitation.

Registration includes a fun Training Day to support competitors in developing their skills using:

• cyber securitytools
• virtual machines
• Linux and
• in ethical hacking..

You'll have access to a cyber security tool kit for training and competing, enabled by Platform Sponsor: Kasm Workspaces.

Some of the prizes on offer for:

• 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed teams in each division
• top All female team in each division and
• best performing indigenous competitor.

Put your problem solving and teamwork to the test and learn cyber security skills in a fun, practical way.

For more information see pecanplus.org

Competition divisions - a general guide

• Beginner: No or limited experience with cyber tools to date. Looking forward to preparing and learning cyber tools in the lead up to the competition. No prior experience with CTF competitions.
• Intermediate: Some knowledge of programming languages, cyber tools or similar and have completed a CTF/cyber challenge previously.
• Advanced: Experienced with cyber tools and in tackling CTFs and cyber challenges. Have competed in CTF competitions previously.

Team and registration format

Compete in teams of up to 4 students. Please register a team and provide details for each member of your team.

If you're registering as an individual you will be placed in a team on the day.

Event locations

This Australian-wide competition is in-person event and for the NT, currently is only being hosted in Darwin.

Go to school in Alice Springs and want to participate?

We are aiming to host this event in Alice Springs if we receive enough interest to do so.

So, if you want to participate in the event, register your interest and spread the word TODAY!

Cost is free!

Event dates and format

• Day 1 - Training Day: Saturday 23 August 2025
• Day 2 - Competition Day: Sunday 24 August 2025

Estimated timings for each day is 9.00am to 4.30pm (ACST).

The training day is for competitors to upskill and includes industry presentation.

The competition day will be followed by presentations of National prizes.

Competition rules

By registering here, you accept the offer to compete in PECAN+ CTF 2025 and understand that you will be required to adhere to the rules and instructions given by NTG Cyber Resilience staff whilst participating in the competition. Furthermore, you acknowledge that you are aware of ethical hacking practices and understand that there are legal ramifications for the misuse of these. You are expected to compete ethically. Failure to adhere to the rules and regulations will see you exited from the competition.

Preparing to compete

PECAN+ encourages competitors to take agency in developing their cyber security skills and getting competition ready!

Prepare to tackle CTFs by developing familiarity with Linux and cyber tools.

There are many free cyber upskilling resources available online that can be used to prepare, like the PECAN+ practice challenges.

The training day will provide workshops on a range of cyber topics. Work with your Team or school to practice and keep an eye out for our emails and social media posts with suggestions and loca opportunities for training and upskilling.

Prizes (per team member)

• 1st place Advanced Division team: Flipper Zero w. case + merch.
• 1st place Beginner/Intermediate Division teams: Raspberry Pi kit + merch.
• 2nd place teams (in each Division): Lockpicks + merch.
• 3rd place teams (in each Division): Duinotech Arduino Compatible UNO Starter Kit + merch.
• Top All Female Teams (in each Division): micro:bit V2.2 Go bundle + merch.
• Top performing Indigenous competitor prize: Merch
• Plus ASD Challenge prize and other prizes.

Parent/Legal Guardian permissions

If you're a minor, you are expected to consult with a parent/legal guardian before registering, and to provide a parent/legal guardian's details as an emergency contact.

If you're a minor, a Parent/Guardian must approve the selection of "yes" in providing permission to have your photograph taken. By selecting "yes" you are consenting that a parent/legal guardian of the Subject (competitor who is under the age of 18 years as at 23 August 2025) consents to and authorises Edith Cowan University (ECU) and persons authorised through it to photograph the Subject at the competition and to reproduce, publish and communicate the photographs in any medium for the Purpose of promoting the PECAN+ CTF competition and related cyber security and computer science outreach and engagement activity.

Contact

Register your interest now using the 'free ticket' selection below and include your preferred location.

Then mark your calendar and get ready to test your abilities in a supportive and engaging environment.

Have a question, email it to CyberResilience.DCDD@nt.gov.au

PECAN+ is proudly founded and led by Edith Cowan University. Support from Platinum Sponsor, the Australian Signals Directorate.

Privacy statement

By completing this form, you are expressing your interest in participating in the PECAN + CTF 2025 competition. The Cyber Resilience Unit within the Northern Territory Government will collect your personal information exclusively for the PECAN + CTF 2025 project.

If you don't provide the requested personal information it will result in being unable to register for this competition.

This information will be used by the Northern Territory Government's departments of Corporate and Digital Development's and Education and Training and shared with PECAN who are facilitating and organising the event. It will not be shared with any other third parties and only used for the purposes to facilitate the PECAN +Capture the Flag 2025 cyber security competition.

We will not disclose your personal information to any other third parties unless
authorised or required by law to do so or you have given us your consent to share your personal information for a specific purpose.

You can access your personal information at any time by contacting us at CyberResilience.DCDD@nt.gov.au. To find out more read the
NT Government's privacy policy.

If you want more information about the Northern Territory's privacy laws, please refer to the Northern Territory Information Act 2002, or the Office of the Information Commissioner NT.