At CyberEDU, we’re committed to creating a trustworthy competition environment where participants can shine based on their true knowledge, skill and talent, while organizers benefit from reduced administrative burdens and valuable insights for seamless event execution. With all the cybersecurity competitions we organize and host, we’ve constantly made ensuring fairness, integrity and efficiency a top priority. 

To maintain this commitment and address evolving challenges in the online exams and competitions field, we took one step further towards a tool built to enhance the reliability of our activities: introducing CYE-SENTINEL for proctored CTFs and cybersecurity competitions!

What is CYE-SENTINEL for proctored CTFs?

CYE-SENTINEL is a new tool the team at CyberEDU designed to strengthen the integrity and fairness of Attack & Defense or Jeopardy-style CTF competitions, by following a “proctored” format.

Side, but important, note: a proctored exam or competition is an activity where a proctor – a teacher, a specialist or any other kind of representative – oversees the participants to prevent any form of cheating.

In recent times, the rise of THE ONLINE has made collaboration and communication easier, including when it comes to competitions, with participants sharing screens or using additional devices for assistance, for example. In such a context, CYE-SENTINEL comes to:

1. Ensure the integrity, fairness and accuracy of results by preventing cheating, so participants can compete based on their true abilities.
2. Offer accurate recognition. CYE-SENTINEL guarantees that performance is evaluated correctly, giving participants the recognition they deserve for hard work and preparation.
3. Maintain the true value and reputation of awards, ensuring that any certification or diploma that we issue truly reflects participants’ skills.
4. Value privacy and security, with proctors being trained to respect participants’ privacy and maintain a secure contest environment.
5. Facilitate efficient monitoring and management of proctored events, allowing organizers to focus on other aspects of the competition.
6. Provide organizers with real-time data and insights into competition dynamics, helping to quickly identify and address any issues.

Maintaining a reliable system for competitions benefits all participants by upholding high standards. For organizers, it ensures smooth execution and effective management of events. Let’s learn how exactly we do that from a technical standpoint.

This is how CYE-SENTINEL works:

To use CYE-SENTINEL, participants need to be registered in CyberEDU’s hosted or organized competitions and must be of legal age to consent to personal data processing in their country. Once the competition begins, participants are required to install CYE-SENTINEL on their device, following the installation guide provided at the start of the competition. The tool must run locally on their device—not on virtual machines or remote servers—and should be activated at least 15 minutes before the competition starts, remaining active throughout the event.

It is important to note that the use of CYE-SENTINEL is not mandatory for all competitions; it is an optional feature for those where we want to ensure that everything is 100% fair. For proctored competitions, however, the installation of the agent is mandatory. Organizers can monitor all users through a dashboard, ensuring compliance and oversight during the event.

Study case: the #ROCSC2024 bootcamp

CYE-SENTINEL was put to the test, for the first time, in July 2024, during the #ROCSC2024 bootcamp at Bran, Romania, where it successfully demonstrated its capabilities in a real-world scenario. 

The bootcamp served as a crucial preparation phase for Team Romania’s selection for ECSC 2024. Thus, it involved a range of cybersecurity challenges that required rigorous monitoring to ensure fairness and integrity. CYE-SENTINEL played a pivotal role in maintaining a high standard of competition by providing seamless proctoring and real-time oversight, ensuring that all 30 participants adhered to the rules and were assessed fairly.

The successful deployment and performance of CYE-SENTINEL at the #ROCSC2024 bootcamp not only validated its technical reliability but also showcased its impact on both participants and organizers. For participants, it meant a level playing field where their skills were accurately assessed without any unfair advantages. For organizers, it offered valuable insights through its dashboard. 

This case study exemplifies how CYE-SENTINEL can elevate the quality and fairness of cybersecurity competitions, setting a new standard for future events.

What’s in it for organizers

Implementing CYE-SENTINEL ensures that:

• the management of proctored events is streamlined, reducing the time and effort needed for manual oversight;
• many aspects of the proctoring process are automated, allowing organizers to focus on other critical tasks;
• it maintains high standards of fairness and integrity;
• it helps organizers identify and address any issues that may arise during the competition;
• it offers precise evaluation of performance;
• awards and recognitions are well-deserved;
• the value and reputation of the competition are well-deserved, reinforcing its credibility within the cybersecurity community.

Overall, CYE-SENTINEL enhances the organization and execution of competitions, making them more reliable, efficient, and respected.

What’s in it for participants

This is a fair question indeed. We acknowledge that CYE-SENTINEL brings competition organizers many benefits. 

However, it’s actually a win-win situation as CTF enthusiasts can now enjoy competitions that:

• acknowledge true skill;
• ensure equal opportunities to succeed; 
• helps them focus on performance only;
• empower them and level up their self esteem based on fair criteria;
• foster respect among participants;
• motivates the to keep improving their skills via such events;
• offer an overall reliable and enjoyable experience.

All in all, we’re excited to implement CYE-SENTINEL and do believe it will be a game-changer for the competition component of CyberEDU.

If you are a CTF organizer or participant and have any questions or need further details, feel free to reach out, because we can make our competitions even better together!

Stay tuned for more updates and good luck in our upcoming events!