Capture the flag has been played in parks and backyards for generations. “[It] is one of the most popular games for both boys and girls who are beginning to care for team organization,” observed an assistant director for physical education in New York City schools, Jesse H. Bancroft, in her 1909 book, Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium. “This game is known also by the name of Scots and English and probably originated in border warfare.”
Fast-forward a century and the child’s game has evolved into a favorite pastime for adults who wage war against hackers. Indeed, as companies commit ever greater sums to cybersecurity, there is growing awareness that part of an effective hacking-prevention strategy is making sure the guardians of the network gates have time to play Capture the Flag.
CTF, as it’s called in cyber circles, is played online rather than outdoors. The children’s game is usually over in minutes, while the online version can take up to two days. But the principles for both are the same: Pierce an opponent’s defenses, protect your own, and then steal their flag—or, as the case may be, confidential customer data. A tournament sponsored by NYU last fall attracted more than 18,000 participants, up from 1,500 in 2010.
Kevin Chung, a 21-year-old NYU student from Brooklyn who spent last summer working in product security at Etsy, said CTF helps develop problem-solving skills. It also helps teach teamwork and a sense of camaraderie, two things in short supply in the cybersecurity world. “Let’s face it: A lot of what we do is quite solitary,” Mr. Chung said.
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