│ Category: Miscellaneous
│ Difficulty: Easy
│ Points: 1
│ Author: Imattas aka Zemi
│ Flag: bbb{REDACTED}
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--[ Challenge Description ]--
│ Welcome to DEF CON CTF Quals 2026! Read the rules and visit the Discord for a
flag.
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--[ Recon / Initial Analysis ]--
This was the standard onboarding challenge. There was no binary, service
exploit, or hidden file to reverse. The prompt pointed players at the rules and
the official Discord server.
The useful things to capture during this step were:
- The flag format: bbb{...}
- The official Discord link
- Any announcements about service restarts, challenge updates, and writeup
requirements
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--[ Vulnerability / Observation ]--
No vulnerability was involved. The challenge existed to confirm that the team
could access the official communication channel and submit a valid flag.
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--[ Exploitation / Solution ]--
:: Step 1 — Read the rules
The rules document defined the flag format and the qualification/writeup
requirements.
:: Step 2 — Join Discord
The challenge prompt directed players to the official contest Discord. The
sanity-check flag was posted in the server, usually in a welcome, rules, or
announcements channel.
:: Step 3 — Submit the flag
After copying the flag, submit it on the CTFd challenge page.
-- text --
bbb{...}
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--[ Full Exploit Script ]--
-- text --
No script needed.
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--[ Key Takeaways ]--
- Sanity checks are quick points and confirm that the team account is configured
correctly.
- Organizer channels matter during DEF CON Quals because challenge updates and
clarifications can change solve paths.
- Keep a local notes file with the rules, flag format, and writeup deadline.