Hatim Khadraoui
Event Organizer, Challenge Creator
CTF player and researcher with Raptx/Akasec.
Handles event organization, infrastructure, and challenge creation.
CITEFLAG 2026|Registration is open
CITEFLAG: international Capture The Flag competition
Registration is now open on the official platform. Online qualifiers on CTFtime followed by on-site finals in Tangier, Morocco.
Live
Users on platform
1,060
Teams registered
389
Competition status
Registration open
About CITEFLAG
A competition built for impact
CITEFLAG is an international Capture The Flag competition focused on practical cybersecurity excellence. Participants solve hands-on challenges modeled on real incidents, while partners and sponsors gain direct visibility into a highly engaged technical community.
The 2026 season builds on successful previous editions, including an on-site event in May 2025 and a nationwide online CTF in August 2025 with more than 500 registrations. Teams of 4 members compete through a two-stage format, with the top 10 qualified Moroccan students advancing to the on-site final in Tangier, Morocco.
Who should participate
Students and university cybersecurity clubs
Early-career security practitioners
Experienced professionals and mentors
Meet the Team
Organizing Team
Event organizers and challenge authors behind CITEFLAG.
Hamza Zekhnini
Event Organizer, Challenge Creator
Head of Social Projects & Management at Avycenna.
Leads event organization, execution, and challenge coordination.
Yassir Ajaja
Event Coordinator
Formateur en Infrastructure Digitale / Systemes et Reseaux - Cite des Metiers et des Competences - Tanger Tetouan Al-hoceima.
Event coordination.
Hamza Essaadi
Event Coordinator
Formateur infrastructures digital Office de Formation Professionnelle et de Promotion du Travail (OFPPT).
Event coordination.
Reda Es-Sahtri
Event Organizer, Challenge Creator
Core organizer supporting planning and operations.
Coordinates logistics, operations, and challenge support.
Anass Abouzi
Crypto Challenges Creator
Crypto challenges author, cryptography and math enthusiast.
Designs and writes crypto challenges.
vmpr0be
Pwn Challenges Creator
Student at UIR and CTF player with r3kapig.
Creates pwn challenges.
Hatim Khadraoui
Event Organizer, Challenge Creator
CTF player and researcher with Raptx/Akasec.
Handles event organization, infrastructure, and challenge creation.
Hamza Zekhnini
Event Organizer, Challenge Creator
Head of Social Projects & Management at Avycenna.
Leads event organization, execution, and challenge coordination.
Yassir Ajaja
Event Coordinator
Formateur en Infrastructure Digitale / Systemes et Reseaux - Cite des Metiers et des Competences - Tanger Tetouan Al-hoceima.
Event coordination.
Hamza Essaadi
Event Coordinator
Formateur infrastructures digital Office de Formation Professionnelle et de Promotion du Travail (OFPPT).
Event coordination.
Reda Es-Sahtri
Event Organizer, Challenge Creator
Core organizer supporting planning and operations.
Coordinates logistics, operations, and challenge support.
Anass Abouzi
Crypto Challenges Creator
Crypto challenges author, cryptography and math enthusiast.
Designs and writes crypto challenges.
vmpr0be
Pwn Challenges Creator
Student at UIR and CTF player with r3kapig.
Creates pwn challenges.
Format
How It Works
Two stages: online qualifiers, then on-site finals.
PHASE 1
Online Qualifiers
Open worldwide via ctftime.org
- Duration: 11:00 PM 2026/04/03 - 11:00 PM 2026/04/04 (UTC)
- Open: Worldwide (online)
- Team size: 4 members
- Fee: Free, no registration fee
- Outcome: Top 10 qualified Moroccan students are eligible for finals
PHASE 2
On-site Finals
15:00 2026/04/11 - 15:00 2026/04/12 (UTC) | CMC TTA
- Location: CMC Tangier, Digital & Artificial Intelligence Cluster
- Format: Jeopardy
- Eligibility: Only top 10 qualified Moroccan students
- Includes: Prizes, recognition, and sponsor engagement
Categories
Challenge Tracks
Six core tracks that reflect practical security work.
Web Exploitation
Exploit vulnerabilities in web applications including XSS, SQLi, SSRF, and more.
Cryptography
Break encryption schemes, crack ciphers, and analyze cryptographic protocols.
Binary Exploitation
Pwn binaries through buffer overflows, ROP chains, heap exploitation, and format strings.
Digital Forensics
Analyze disk images, memory dumps, network captures, and recover hidden evidence.
OSINT
Gather intelligence from open sources, trace digital footprints, and uncover hidden data.
Reverse Engineering
Disassemble and decompile binaries to understand logic and extract secrets.
Timeline
Key Dates
All times are in UTC.
11:00 PM 2026/04/03 - 11:00 PM 2026/04/04 (UTC)
Online Qualifiers
Global qualifier round on CTFtime.
After Qualifications (UTC)
Top 10 Announced
Top Moroccan student teams move to finals.
15:00 2026/04/11 - 15:00 2026/04/12 (UTC)
On-site Finals
Jeopardy finals at CMC TTA, Tangier.
Agenda
Event Agenda
Key dates and on-site schedule for CITEFLAG 2026.
Select a day
Selected day
03 April 2026
11:00 PM
Qualifiers open (online)
State-of-the-Art Facility
CMC Tangier provides modern infrastructure for technical competitions, workshops, and community-led security events.
Location
Tangier, Morocco.
Competition-Ready
High-speed networking, dedicated competition infrastructure, and a professional environment built for intensive cybersecurity events.
Speakers
Featured Speakers
Industry professionals sharing real-world insights in cybersecurity and SOC operations.
Talk
Digital Forensics: Uncovering the Evidence Behind Cyber Incidents
Speaker
Aymane Bendalaa
Co-Founder - Cyberspace
IT Support at Tanger Med (via CBI)
Talk
Inside the SOC: Roles, Tools, and Real-World Operations
Speaker
Mohamed Amine EL-FAKIRI
10 April 2026
SOC Analyst
Founder of SOC4M Community
Talk
Digital Forensics: Uncovering the Evidence Behind Cyber Incidents
Speaker
Aymane Bendalaa
Co-Founder - Cyberspace
IT Support at Tanger Med (via CBI)
Talk
Inside the SOC: Roles, Tools, and Real-World Operations
Speaker
Mohamed Amine EL-FAKIRI
10 April 2026
SOC Analyst
Founder of SOC4M Community
Sponsors
Sponsors
Partners supporting CITEFLAG 2026.
High-visibility branding across web, social, and on-site event materials
Direct access to high-performing students and early-career cybersecurity talent
Digital exposure through scoreboard presence and official competition communications
In-person activation during finals: booth space, mentor presence, and awards stage visibility
In-Kind Sponsorships
Cloud/infrastructure credits
Hardware/equipment
Licenses/tools/security products
Workshops/expert sessions
Training subscriptions, vouchers, or certifications
Sponsor Documentation
Every sponsor receives a post-event report with logo placement evidence, audience metrics, and highlights from online and on-site activations.
Our Sponsors
Community Partners
Community Partner
SOC4M
SOC4M is a Morocco-based community for SOC and cybersecurity practitioners, with public educational content and community programming.
Operates the official SOC4M Community YouTube presence
Promotes SOC-focused learning and cybersecurity discussions
Runs community activity tied to the Moroccan cybersecurity ecosystem
Community Partner
Cyberspace Maroc
Cyberspace Maroc is a Moroccan cybersecurity hub founded in 2024 to empower the next generation of experts through hands-on learning.
Runs an online CTF environment covering Web, Crypto, and Reverse Engineering
Hosts custom events for organizations and provides security awareness training
Expanding with practice labs and a Cyber Academy with guided learning paths
Founding sponsor slots are currently available.
Accepting sponsorship applications
Infrastructure
Platform
Built for stability, fair play, and live competition updates.
Live Scoreboard
Real-time rankings and team progress tracking.
Team Registration
Seamless team creation and management system.
Challenge Deployment
Automated and reliable challenge infrastructure.
Integrity Controls
Monitoring workflows that support fair competition.
Prizes
Prize Stack
Finals rewards, bonus drops, and qualifier prizes for teams and first blood hunters.
Main Finals Bonus Awards
- 1x OffSec SEC-100 or SJD-100 + 1-Year Access for Finals MVP
- 1x OffSec SEC-100 or SJD-100 + 1-Year Access for the hardest challenge first blood
- 1x SecDojo Premium 1-Year
Bonus Drop Stack
Extra Rewards
- 1x Cyberwave Legacy Lab - 1 Week Free
- 1x Cyberwave Legacy Lab - 75% OFF
- 1x Cyberwave Legacy Lab - 50% OFF
- 2x ApiSec CASA + 2x ApiSec ACP + 2x ApiSec APU+
- 2x GEN.xyz domain
Audience
Who Joins
Mostly students and early-career participants, with professionals joining as well.
Students & University Clubs
55%Computer science and cybersecurity students from universities across the globe.
Early-Career Enthusiasts
30%Junior professionals and self-taught security researchers building their skills.
Cybersecurity Professionals
15%Experienced practitioners looking for competitive challenges and networking.
FAQ
FAQ
Quick answers about format, finals, and participation.
Contact
Contact
Questions about participation or sponsorship? Send us a message.
Primary Contact
Hamza Zekhnini
CITEFLAG Organizing Team