Rules for Participation in the All-Ukrainian Cybersecurity Olympiad

Welcome to the All-Ukrainian Cybersecurity Olympiad. This is a large, two-day online Capture the Flag (Jeopardy-style) competition. Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute is the regional coordinator for the ICOA 2026 international final. The event aims to identify talented students and assess their skills in both classical cyber defense and artificial intelligence technologies.

Main Olympiad Provisions

• Format: The Olympiad will be held online under Capture the Flag (Jeopardy style) rules. The score for each task will be determined by a dynamic scoring system.
• Participants: Students at secondary schools, vocational schools, and out-of-school education institutions may participate. Participants must be 15-20 years old (not older than 20 as of July 1, 2026). University and polytechnic students are not allowed to participate.
• Cost: Participation in the Olympiad is free.
• Winners: The national team forms based on rankings and interview results. The team can qualify for the final.
• Participation Format: The Olympiad uses an individual ranking format. After the Olympiad, the Coaching Team will select the top 20 participants. These participants will attend a specialized training stage. The national team of 4 will be formed after this training, based on results.
• Confirmation of Participant Status: To receive winner status, each participant must submit documents confirming their student status at the required educational level. If not provided, the invitation to join the top 20 goes to the next-ranked participant.

Fair Play Rules and Disqualification

• Disqualification: Participants found in violation of the Olympiad rules or using prohibited tools will be disqualified immediately.
• Prohibited Tools and Actions:
  • During the Olympiad, it is strictly forbidden to use automated vulnerability scanning tools (e.g., Acunetix, Nessus).
  • DoS/DDoS attacks against the CTF platform infrastructure are strictly prohibited.
  • Sharing flags, hints, and solutions with other participants is strictly prohibited.

• Questions and Requests: If you have questions or encounter issues, contact the Olympiad chat on Discord. The chat will be available from the start of Olympiad registration. You may also email the organizers at the address listed on the Olympiad website.

  The Olympiad rules may be changed by the organizers. Please follow updates on the website to stay informed.

Olympiad Registration Stages:

1. Filling out the registration form
   1.1. The registration form opens on April 13 at 00:00. It will be available via a link in the News section of this website. Registration closes on April 24 at 23:59. 1.2. If you made a mistake while filling out the registration form, please write to Mykola Ilin at [email protected] and provide the updated information (include your full name in the email so you can be identified).
   1.3. Registration is individual for each participant. Each registered participant receives a personal account on the platform within the Olympiad.

2. Confirming Olympiad registration via your own email inbox
   2.1. To access tasks during the Olympiad, register on the platform link.
   2.2. After registering on the Olympiad platform, confirm your registration. Use the link sent by the platform to the email address you provided.
   2.3. Your account password will not be sent in a separate email. Remember the password you entered in the registration form.
   2.4. You can change your platform account password in your account settings. If you forget your password, reset it on the login page by clicking ‘Forgot your password?’ and following the prompts.

3. For Olympiad participants
   3.1. First, complete the general registration form published in the News section of the website. 3.2. Then register on the platform.
   3.3. From the start of the Olympiad, you will see tasks on the platform that must be solved independently and submitted to the organizers.