Fetch the Flag CTF 2026: Official Challenge Write-Ups & Community Highlights

Fetch the Flag CTF 2026 launched on February 12, bringing together thousands of competitors from around the world to take on more than 20 challenges across web security, AI, crypto, pwn, reverse engineering, and forensics. From creative web exploits to intricate binary puzzles, players pushed their skills to the limit in a competition designed to challenge, educate, and inspire. Beyond the leaderboard and prizes, the event was an opportunity for participants to deepen their cybersecurity skills, explore new techniques, and contribute to building a safer internet, all while enjoying the thrill of the hunt.

We’ve compiled our official write-ups for each challenge, offering a detailed look at the intended solutions and the thinking behind them. After reviewing a solution, you can also try the challenge yourself by clicking the “Hub Detail” button and selecting “Launch Hub”, a hands-on way to reinforce what you’ve learned and experience the challenge firsthand.

AI

• Admin Only Forum - Official Write-up

• AI WAF - Official Write-up

• Notely - Official Write-up

• Vibecoding - Official Write-up

• Backstage-Pass - Official Write-Up

Crypto

• Beneath The Curve - Official Write-up

• Echo Chamber - Official Write-up

• Old Habits - Official Write-up

• Ready - Smile - Action - Official Write-up

Forensics

• Void Step - Official Write-up

PWN

• Restrained - Official Write-up |

• Slab Manager - Official Write-up

• Lone Survivor - Official Write-up

Reverse Engineering

• L1c3nC3cH3cK - Official Write-up

• FuN51llyM4ch1n3 - Official Write-up

• Gen_Z_P'Batching_Game - Official Write-up

Web

• The Mission - Official Write-up

• Data Vault - Official Write-up

• Noteshare - Official Write-up

• Secure Bank - Official Write-up

• Secure MFB - Official Write-up

Community highlights

To wrap up this year’s recap, we’re proud to feature several in-depth community write-ups. Many participants chose to publish comprehensive blog posts covering multiple challenges, sharing their thought processes, alternative solutions, debugging techniques, and lessons learned throughout the competition.

These posts showcase the creativity, persistence, and technical depth of our community, and they’re well worth the read:

• Zero Solves – Full challenge write-ups

• Steven Morrison – Data Vault write-up

• Dragoș – Fetch the Flag 2026 recap

• Krish – Fetch The Flag 2026 write-up

• Kokhant – Web challenges write-ups

Thank you to everyone who participated in Fetch the Flag CTF 2026. Whether you solved one challenge or cleared the board, published a write-up, or supported others along the way, you helped make this event an incredible success. The energy, creativity, and determination from this community are what make Fetch the Flag truly special.

We’re already looking forward to what next year will bring, and we can’t wait to see your name on the leaderboard in 2027.

Want to go deeper on securing AI-powered Python applications beyond the CTF challenges? Download our AI Security Crisis: Securing Python in the Age of AI guide to explore real-world risks, emerging attack vectors, and practical steps to protect your AI-driven code.