Javed Iqbal:
Lahore:Pakistan’s National Cyber Emergency Response Team (National CERT) has launched “CTF Square,” an indigenously developed Capture the Flag (CTF) platform designed to strengthen cybersecurity learning, assessment, and practical skill development across the country’s digital ecosystem.
The initiative is part of National CERT’s broader efforts to improve cyber resilience and build local cybersecurity capacity through hands-on technical training and simulation-based exercises.
According to National CERT, the platform provides a structured environment where students, cybersecurity professionals, researchers, and technology enthusiasts can practice and improve their skills through real-world cybersecurity challenges.
The organization said the platform is being continuously updated with challenges covering multiple areas, including web security, cryptography, digital forensics, reverse engineering, cloud security, and network defense.
National CERT has also invited academia, industry experts, and independent researchers to contribute high-quality challenges to the platform. Contributors will receive official recognition for their work.
Unlike traditional cybersecurity training platforms that mainly depend on virtual machine-based labs, CTF Square uses a lightweight and script-driven deployment model aimed at reducing infrastructure requirements and improving accessibility.