Skip to main content
Top

2020 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

An Analysis and Evaluation of Open Source Capture the Flag Platforms as Cybersecurity e-Learning Tools

Authors : Stylianos Karagiannis, Elpidoforos Maragkos-Belmpas, Emmanouil Magkos

Published in: Information Security Education. Information Security in Action

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config
loading …

Abstract

Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges are typically used for hosting competitions related to cybersecurity. Like any other event, CTF competitions vary in terms of context, topics and purpose and integrate various features and characteristics. This article presents the results of a comparative evaluation between 4 popular open source CTF platforms, regarding their use for learning purposes. We conducted this evaluation as part of the user-centered design process by demonstrating the platforms to the potential participants, in order to collect descriptive insights regarding the features of each platform. The results of this evaluation demonstrated that participants approved the high importance of the selected features and their significance for enhancing the learning process. This study may be useful for organizers of learning events to select the right platform, as well as for future researchers to upgrade and to extend any particular platform according to their needs.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 102.000 Bücher
  • über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
  • Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 67.000 Bücher
  • über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe




 

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 67.000 Bücher
  • über 340 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Versicherung + Risiko




Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Literature
4.
go back to reference Davis, A., Leek, T., Zhivich, M., Gwinnup, K., Leonard, W.: The fun and future of CTF. In: Proceedings of the 23rd USENIX Summit on Gaming, Games, and Gamification in Security Education 2014 (3GSE 14), San Diego. USENIX (2014) Davis, A., Leek, T., Zhivich, M., Gwinnup, K., Leonard, W.: The fun and future of CTF. In: Proceedings of the 23rd USENIX Summit on Gaming, Games, and Gamification in Security Education 2014 (3GSE 14), San Diego. USENIX (2014)
7.
go back to reference Cherinka, R., Prezzama, J.: Innovative approaches to building comprehensive talent pipelines: helping to grow a strong and diverse professional workforce. Syst. Cybern. Inform. 13(6), 82–86 (2015) Cherinka, R., Prezzama, J.: Innovative approaches to building comprehensive talent pipelines: helping to grow a strong and diverse professional workforce. Syst. Cybern. Inform. 13(6), 82–86 (2015)
8.
go back to reference Boopathi, K., Sreejith, S., Bithin, A.: Learning cyber security through gamification. Indian J. Sci. Technol. 8(7), 642–649 (2015)CrossRef Boopathi, K., Sreejith, S., Bithin, A.: Learning cyber security through gamification. Indian J. Sci. Technol. 8(7), 642–649 (2015)CrossRef
9.
go back to reference Burket, J., Chapman, P., Becker, T., Ganas, C., Brumley, D.: Automatic problem generation for capture-the-flag competitions. In: Proceedings of the 24th USENIX Summit on Gaming, Games, and Gamification in Security Education 2015 (3GSE 15), Washington. USENIX (2015) Burket, J., Chapman, P., Becker, T., Ganas, C., Brumley, D.: Automatic problem generation for capture-the-flag competitions. In: Proceedings of the 24th USENIX Summit on Gaming, Games, and Gamification in Security Education 2015 (3GSE 15), Washington. USENIX (2015)
10.
go back to reference Chapman, P., Burket, J., Brumley, D.: PicoCTF: a game-based computer security competition for high school students. In: Proceedings of the 23rd USENIX Summit on Gaming, Games, and Gamification in Security Education 2014 (3GSE 14), San Diego. USENIX (2014) Chapman, P., Burket, J., Brumley, D.: PicoCTF: a game-based computer security competition for high school students. In: Proceedings of the 23rd USENIX Summit on Gaming, Games, and Gamification in Security Education 2014 (3GSE 14), San Diego. USENIX (2014)
11.
go back to reference Schreuders, Z.C., Butterfield, E.: Gamification for teaching and learning computer security in higher education. In: Proceedings of USENIX Workshop on Advances in Security Education 2016 (ASE 16), Austin, USA (2016) Schreuders, Z.C., Butterfield, E.: Gamification for teaching and learning computer security in higher education. In: Proceedings of USENIX Workshop on Advances in Security Education 2016 (ASE 16), Austin, USA (2016)
13.
go back to reference Eagle, C., Clark, J.L.: Capture-the-flag: learning computer security under fire. In: Proceedings of the 6th Workshop on Education in Computer Security 2004 (WECS), pp. 17–21. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA (2004) Eagle, C., Clark, J.L.: Capture-the-flag: learning computer security under fire. In: Proceedings of the 6th Workshop on Education in Computer Security 2004 (WECS), pp. 17–21. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA (2004)
14.
go back to reference Antonioli, D., Ghaeini, H.R., Adepu, S., Ochoa, M., Tippenhauer.: Gamifying education and research on ICS security: design, implementation and results of S3. In: Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Cyber-Physical Systems Security and PrivaCy 2017, Dallas, Texas, USA, pp. 93–102. ACM (2017) Antonioli, D., Ghaeini, H.R., Adepu, S., Ochoa, M., Tippenhauer.: Gamifying education and research on ICS security: design, implementation and results of S3. In: Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Cyber-Physical Systems Security and PrivaCy 2017, Dallas, Texas, USA, pp. 93–102. ACM (2017)
15.
go back to reference Leune, K., Petrilli Jr., S.J.: Using capture-the-flag to enhance the effectiveness of cybersecurity education. In: Proceedings of the 18th Annual Conference on Information Technology Education 2017, Rochester, New York, USA, pp. 47–52. ACM (2017). https://doi.org/10.1145/3125659.3125686 Leune, K., Petrilli Jr., S.J.: Using capture-the-flag to enhance the effectiveness of cybersecurity education. In: Proceedings of the 18th Annual Conference on Information Technology Education 2017, Rochester, New York, USA, pp. 47–52. ACM (2017). https://​doi.​org/​10.​1145/​3125659.​3125686
16.
go back to reference Noor Azam, M.H., Beuran, R.: Usability evaluation of open source and online capture the flag platforms. Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Technical report, IS-RR-2018-001 (2018) Noor Azam, M.H., Beuran, R.: Usability evaluation of open source and online capture the flag platforms. Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Technical report, IS-RR-2018-001 (2018)
17.
go back to reference Raman, R., Sunny, S., Pavithran, V., Achuthan, K.: Framework for evaluating Capture The Flag (CTF) security competitions. In: The Proceedings of the International Conference for Convergence for Technology 2014 (I2CT 2014), Pune, India, pp. 136–140. IEEE (2014). https://doi.org/10.1109/I2CT.2014.7092098 Raman, R., Sunny, S., Pavithran, V., Achuthan, K.: Framework for evaluating Capture The Flag (CTF) security competitions. In: The Proceedings of the International Conference for Convergence for Technology 2014 (I2CT 2014), Pune, India, pp. 136–140. IEEE (2014). https://​doi.​org/​10.​1109/​I2CT.​2014.​7092098
18.
go back to reference Chung, K., Cohen, J.: Learning obstacles in the capture the flag model. In: Proceedings of the 23rd USENIX Summit on Gaming, Games, and Gamification in Security Education (3GSE 2014), San Diego, CA. USENIX (2014) Chung, K., Cohen, J.: Learning obstacles in the capture the flag model. In: Proceedings of the 23rd USENIX Summit on Gaming, Games, and Gamification in Security Education (3GSE 2014), San Diego, CA. USENIX (2014)
19.
go back to reference Chung, K.: Live lesson: lowering the barriers to capture the flag administration and participation. In: Proceedings of USENIX Workshop on Advances in Security Education (ASE 2017), Vancouver, BC, Canada (2017) Chung, K.: Live lesson: lowering the barriers to capture the flag administration and participation. In: Proceedings of USENIX Workshop on Advances in Security Education (ASE 2017), Vancouver, BC, Canada (2017)
20.
go back to reference Ahmad, R., Hussain, A., Baharom, F.: Software sustainability characteristic for software development towards long living software. WSEAS Trans. Bus. Econ. 15, 55–72 (2018) Ahmad, R., Hussain, A., Baharom, F.: Software sustainability characteristic for software development towards long living software. WSEAS Trans. Bus. Econ. 15, 55–72 (2018)
22.
go back to reference Martínez-Torres, M.R., Toral Marín, S.L., Garcia, F.B., Vazquez, S.G., Oliva, M.A., Torres, T.: A technological acceptance of e-learning tools used in practical and laboratory teaching, according to the European higher education area. Behav. Inf. Technol. 27(6), 495–505 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1080/01449290600958965CrossRef Martínez-Torres, M.R., Toral Marín, S.L., Garcia, F.B., Vazquez, S.G., Oliva, M.A., Torres, T.: A technological acceptance of e-learning tools used in practical and laboratory teaching, according to the European higher education area. Behav. Inf. Technol. 27(6), 495–505 (2008). https://​doi.​org/​10.​1080/​0144929060095896​5CrossRef
Metadata
Title
An Analysis and Evaluation of Open Source Capture the Flag Platforms as Cybersecurity e-Learning Tools
Authors
Stylianos Karagiannis
Elpidoforos Maragkos-Belmpas
Emmanouil Magkos
Copyright Year
2020
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59291-2_5

Premium Partner