Uncovering the Best Hack the Arch Alternatives for Your CTF Needs

Hack the Arch is a robust scoring server built with Ruby on Rails by the Military Cyber Professionals Association (MCPA), designed to facilitate Cyber Capture the Flag (CTF) events. While it offers a free and extendable solution under the MIT license for tracking statistics and managing problems, organizers often seek alternatives for various reasons, including specific feature requirements, different technology stacks, or simpler deployment options. This article explores some of the top Hack the Arch alternative solutions available.

Top Hack the Arch Alternatives

If you're looking to host a CTF event and need a scoring server that aligns perfectly with your preferences, look no further. Here are some excellent alternatives to Hack the Arch that provide diverse features and platforms to suit every need.

Mellivora

Mellivora is a CTF engine written in PHP, making it a compelling Hack the Arch alternative for those who prefer a PHP-based solution. It offers arbitrary categories and challenges, along with a scoreboard that supports optional multiple team types. Mellivora is free, open-source, and self-hosted, providing features like PHP compatibility and two-factor authentication, which can enhance security and user management for your CTF event.

CTFd

CTFd stands out as a “CTF in a can,” offering an easily modifiable solution with all the essentials for running a jeopardy-style CTF. As a commercial and open-source platform, CTFd provides flexibility for both self-hosting and potentially managed solutions. Its broad adoption and active development make it a robust Hack the Arch alternative, though specific features beyond its core CTF functionality are not explicitly listed, it's highly customizable through plugins.

BOCA Online Contest

BOCA Online Contest is a software specifically developed to support programming contests, notably used in the Maratona de Programação of the Brazilian Computing Society. It's a free, open-source, and self-hosted platform, making it an excellent Hack the Arch alternative for organizers focusing on competitive programming scenarios. While it doesn't list specific features, its proven track record in major programming competitions speaks to its reliability and suitability for similar CTF event structures.

Choosing the right CTF scoring server depends heavily on your specific event requirements, technical preferences, and budget. We encourage you to explore these Hack the Arch alternative options further to find the best fit for your next cybersecurity challenge.