Mārtiņa-CTF 2026 invites cybersecurity enthusiasts to test their skills

Reporting by CERT-LVRead the original at cert.lv

Executive Summary

A cybersecurity competition named Mārtiņa-CTF 2026 is scheduled to take place from November 20 to 22. The event is a Capture The Flag (CTF) competition designed for participants of all skill levels, including beginners and experienced enthusiasts in IT and cybersecurity. Registration is open via the provided link. The competition involves solving various cybersecurity, programming, and logic tasks to find hidden text strings or flags, with tasks available at different difficulty levels, including hints for beginners. The competition duration is 48 hours, starting on November 20 at 17:00. The first two days are remote, but participants have the option to join an in-person event in Riga on November 22, which will include special on-site tasks. Participants can engage individually or in teams of up to five people, and separate prize funds are allocated for fully remote versus in-person participation. A new initiative called "Mark of No Clanking" is introduced, requiring solutions without artificial intelligence assistance. The event is organized by the association "Datoriķi," a Latvian IT enthusiast community.

Facts Only

* Event: Mārtiņa-CTF 2026.
* Dates: November 20 to 22.
* Focus: Cybersecurity, programming, and logic tasks to find flags.
* Registration link: https://ctfd.mctf.datoriki.org/
* Duration: 48 hours, starting November 20 at 17:00.
* Format: First two days are remote; the final day offers an optional in-person event in Riga.
* Participation: Individual or team (up to five people).
* Special Rule: Introduction of "Mark of No Clanking," prohibiting AI assistance.
* Organizer: Association "Datoriķi."

Full Take

The framing of the competition subtly positions cybersecurity as an area for active investigation and learning, suggesting a mindset shift from fear to engagement, supported by the organizers' stated philosophy that security must be "investigated, broken, and learned." This narrative aligns with broader educational goals often employed in community-led security initiatives. The emphasis on excluding AI assistance via "Mark of No Clanking" introduces an explicit friction point between modern competitive practices and established learning methodologies; this suggests a tension between leveraging new tools for efficiency and maintaining foundational skill development. The pattern of introducing novel, value-aligned constraints (like the AI restriction) alongside standard CTF mechanics often serves to shape participant behavior toward the organizers' preferred mode of engagement. The implication is that true mastery requires non-algorithmic, human-centric problem-solving, which can be a powerful psychological driver for participants focused on skill development.
Bridge Questions: How does the explicit exclusion of AI assistance influence the perceived value of skills developed through automated tools? What are the long-term consequences of framing cybersecurity as an activity to be "broken and learned" rather than merely defended? If competition structures actively promote specific modes of thought, what alternative, less constrained learning paradigms could emerge for cybersecurity enthusiasts?

From the original · CERT-LV

Mārtiņa-CTF! 2026: Hackers of Hexes and Checksums will take place from November 20 to 22!

Read the full story at cert.lv

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