Getting Started

If you're new to contests, here are some great hands-on platforms you can use 24/7 to get you started! They've definitely helped me a lot.

Programming Practice

Coding Bat is a great website for beginners to learn some fundamental programming tasks through bite-sized code snippets. They show you all of the test data compared to your results, which is very helpful, and if you're really stuck, you can look at their solutions.

Codeforces has a wealth of problems from past competitions for you to practice. It requires a bit more background knowledge than Coding Bat, so I wouldn't recommend using it until you're comfortable with all the basics, especially input/output.

Reverse-Engineering / Hacking Practice

The first few challenges are noob-friendly, but increase in difficulty as you prgoress. These are a great way to get into hacking / reverse-engineering if you don't know where to start. You will use less programming and more tinkering & trial and error. Don't give up if you get lost or confused! Work with others if you can - I know Hacker 101 has a built-in group capability, so I might set aside some days for us to work on these in a group call as well.

Hacker 101 CTF

• You are given a link to a dummy website to hack. Whenever you find a major vulnerability (there are a set number of them for each challenge), you are given a "flag." After you get the first few flags, some of the challenges can seem pretty hard, but once you start collecting those tougher flags, it gets really fun and kind of addicting to keep hacking.

The Python Challenge

• A little more laid back and beginner-friendly, but requires you to think out of the box a lot.

Please do not (!!!) use the techniques you learn from these exercises on other people's websites! You could get in a lot of trouble!

A few videos to inspire you:

These are not tutorials, but rather videos to simply get you interested in reverse engineering and hacking in general. Add them to your Watch later list and listen while you're doing chores or something.

Cracking Websites with Cross Site Scripting

• Kahoot Cross Site Scriping - You used to be able to run an XSS attack on Kahoot.it games to literally run JavaScript code in the host's web browser. This could allow you to really screw with whoever was running the game. Obviously, you shouldn't do something like this, but still, I think it's pretty cool that it was possible for a time.

Running an SQL Injection Attack

Password Cracking

2020-2021-Contest-Timeline

October 2020

• Hacktoberfest

Dec 2020

• USACO
• ACSL

Jan 2021

• USACO

Feb 2021

• Google Hash Code
• USACO

March 2021

• Google Kickstart
• USACO US Open
• Quinnipiac High School Programming Competition

April 2021

• Google Code Jam

May 2021

• Lockheed Martin Codequest

June 2021

• HSCTF - Capture the Flag (hacking competition)