Wednesday, September 30, 2026 · 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Zephyr CTF 2026 is a jeopardy-style Capture the Flag cybersecurity competition hosted on-campus at Thakur College of Engineering and Technology (TCET), Mumbai, and organised by the OWASP TCET student chapter.
What it is A full-day, hands-on security challenge where teams race against a live leaderboard to solve problems across multiple cybersecurity domains. Challenges are hosted on a dedicated CTFd platform, and each solved challenge awards points to the team.
Who it's for The event is open to cybersecurity enthusiasts, college students, beginners exploring security for the first time, programmers and developers, ethical hacking enthusiasts, and students from technical as well as interdisciplinary backgrounds. No extensive prior CTF experience is required - basic familiarity with Linux, networking, or programming helps but is not mandatory. Teams may consist of one to two members, and cross-college teams are permitted subject to registration requirements.
Domains covered
Each category tests a different facet of security knowledge - participants investigate clues, analyse files, exploit vulnerabilities, decode information, and inspect applications to uncover flags.
Format and rules The competition runs in Jeopardy style on CTFd, with a live scoreboard tracking progress. Flags follow the format OWASP_TCET{...}. Fair play is enforced: attacking or disrupting the CTF infrastructure, DDoS attempts, destructive actions, flag sharing between teams, plagiarism, and impersonation are prohibited and may lead to disqualification. AI usage is permitted provided submissions comply with the stated guidelines and participants can clearly explain their reasoning and approach. Participants must bring a functional laptop, charger, a modern browser, any personal CTF tooling, and a backup internet hotspot, along with the payment receipt for the ₹100 registration fee.
Prizes
Why participate Zephyr CTF offers practical application of security concepts, development of analytical and problem-solving skills, collaborative work under time pressure, and exposure to security domains worth pursuing further - whether it is a first CTF or a familiar battleground.
Logistics Date: 30 September 2026, 10 AM – 5 PM. Mode: on-campus. Venue: TCET, Mumbai. Team size: 1–2. Registration fee: ₹100 per team. Registration deadline: 29 September 2026. Limited seats. Community updates are shared via the organiser's WhatsApp and Discord channels.