An always-on CTF is a capture the flag competition that never closes. Challenges stay online year-round, so you can solve them whenever you have time, without waiting for an event weekend. Ouroboros CTF is CTF7's always-on event, listed alongside the timed competitions on the CTF7 events page.
Always-on practice vs a timed event
Both use the same idea: find the flag, submit it, score points. What changes is the clock, and that changes how you learn.
| Always-on (Ouroboros CTF) | Timed event | |
|---|---|---|
| When you play | Anytime, year-round | A fixed window, often 24 to 48 hours |
| Pace | Your own; come back to a hard challenge next week | Fast; the scoreboard moves while you think |
| Best for | Building skills, warming up between events | Testing skills under pressure, teamwork, rankings |
| Where on CTF7 | An ongoing event on the events page | Dated events on the events page |
You need both. Practice alone won't teach you to triage ten challenges in the first hour of a live event, and live events alone leave little time to understand why a solve worked. Read what a CTF is and the main formats if these terms are new.
Where Ouroboros CTF fits on CTF7
Ouroboros CTF is one rung on a ladder that runs from your first flag to running a competition of your own:
Learn the basics
Start with CTF for beginners and the categories guide to see what each category asks of you.
Practice on Ouroboros CTF
Solve at your own pace on the always-on CTF. Keep notes per solve; they become your first writeups.
Compete in live events
Join college, community and conference CTFs on the CTF7 events page, solo or with a team.
Host your own
Run your club's or class's first jeopardy CTF free: one free event a year, for up to 50 participants. See pricing or plan an event with the CTF7 team.
Get ready with our category guides
Ouroboros CTF isn't open yet, but you can already prepare. Pick a category and work through its guide:
The practice roadmap shows how to move from fundamentals to live events, and the CTF tools guide covers the software you'll want installed.
For clubs, faculty and organizers
A college CTF or a club event is a few hours once or twice a year. Your members need somewhere to train in between. Once Ouroboros CTF is live, you can point them to it between your own events, then run the event itself on CTF7: one free event a year for up to 50 participants, or Standard at ₹9,999 per event for up to 500, which adds dynamic flags, anti-cheat, hints and container challenges. For a season of rounds, Organization Starter (₹999 a month) includes two events a month. Lecturers can also start from the free classroom CTF kit.
Ouroboros CTF FAQ
What is Ouroboros CTF?
Ouroboros CTF is CTF7's always-on practice event. It runs as an ongoing event on the CTF7 events page, and its challenges stay open year-round, so you can practice between live events at your own pace instead of waiting for the next competition weekend.
What is an always-on CTF?
An always-on CTF is a capture the flag that never closes. Challenges stay online permanently and you solve them whenever you like, with no event clock. Timed CTF events, by contrast, open for a fixed window, usually 24 to 48 hours, with a live scoreboard.
When does Ouroboros CTF launch?
Ouroboros CTF is launching soon. This page and the events page will link straight to its registration on launch day, and we'll announce it on the CTF7 social channels.
Is Ouroboros CTF the same as War Zone or Bootcamp?
No. Ouroboros CTF is a free, always-on event you play self-paced. War Zone is a paid solo practice area of time-boxed operations built from challenges, missions and raw targets, at ₹499/month. Bootcamp, on the War Zone + Bootcamp plan, is a structured course with written theory, labs, self-check questions and a graded capstone that earns a certificate. We'll publish Ouroboros CTF's access details at launch.
Can I use Ouroboros CTF to train for a college competition?
That's what it's for. Regular practice between events builds the habits you need on competition day. Pair it with the beginner roadmap and join a live event on the events page when you feel ready.
How should I structure my practice?
Follow our practice roadmap: fundamentals first, then one category at a time, then live events. It includes a weekly routine you can adapt.
