ZeroDays CTF 2025 : A Comprehensive Overview

The ZeroDays CTF 2025, held on March 22nd at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, marks a significant milestone as it celebrates its 10th anniversary.

This event has evolved into the largest on-site, one-day Capture The Flag (CTF) competition globally, attracting over 130 teams in 2024.

The competition is structured into several categories, including Irish Colleges, International, and Open sections, offering a diverse range of challenges suitable for all skill level3.

Categories And Challenges

The challenges are categorized into various domains such as Web, Crypto, Forensics, Reversing, Pwn, Miscellaneous, and more.

Each challenge is designed to test different aspects of cybersecurity skills, from basic to advanced levels.

• Web Challenges: These involve exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications, such as SQL injection and race conditions.
• Crypto Challenges: Participants must solve cryptographic puzzles using techniques like Diffie-Hellman and RSA.
• Forensics Challenges: Teams analyze network traffic and files to uncover hidden information.
• Reversing Challenges: This involves reverse-engineering software to identify vulnerabilities.
• Pwn Challenges: Participants exploit binary vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access.

To tackle these challenges, participants use a variety of tools and techniques:

• Wireshark for network forensics.
• CyberChef for cryptographic analysis.
• GDB for debugging and reverse engineering.
• Python for scripting and automation.
• Burp Suite for web application testing.

Event Highlights

• Theme: The event’s theme for 2025 is “Father Ted,” adding a fun and unique twist to the competition.
• Prizes: Thousands of euros worth of prizes are awarded to the top teams in each category.
• International Participation: The event welcomes teams from around Europe and beyond, fostering a global cybersecurity community.

ZeroDays CTF 2025 is not only a celebration of cybersecurity skills but also a platform for learning and networking.

It offers a comprehensive set of challenges that simulate real-world security scenarios, making it an invaluable experience for both beginners and seasoned professionals in the field.