SANS Institute and ACT Now Education have announced a free, online Veterans Day BootUp Capture the Flag competition running November 11–14, 2026. The event is open worldwide, and participants must complete CTF registration by November 9 at noon Eastern Time.
What the Competition Offers
The 72-hour event gives beginner and intermediate learners a chance to work through practical cybersecurity challenges on Ranges.io. ACT Now Education is sponsoring access, so participants can join without an entry fee.
SANS’s October 27 announcement highlights the opportunity for service members, veterans and military spouses exploring civilian cybersecurity careers. Participation is also open to people outside the military community.
Register Before the Orientation
The registration process has two steps:
- Register for the Veterans Day Capture the Flag & Orientation Webinar through SANS.
- Follow the prompt in your SANS account dashboard to register separately for the BootUp CTF on Ranges.io.
Webinar registration alone does not register you for the competition. The CTF deadline falls the day before the orientation, so complete both registration steps in advance.
- CTF registration closes: November 9, 2026, at 12 p.m. ET.
- Orientation and Q&A: November 10, from 1–2 p.m. ET.
- Competition: November 11 at 9 a.m. through November 14 at 9 a.m. ET.
Who This Is For
SANS designed the event for beginner and intermediate participants. It may suit learners trying practical challenges for the first time, as well as career changers deciding where to focus further study. If you are comparing possible roles, our cybersecurity career path hub can help you explore your options.
Prizes and Participation Rules
The top three competitors will each receive a SANS Skills Quest subscription. SANS ranks participants by hit rate, described as the fewest total attempts across completed challenges. If more than three competitors tie, challenge completion time breaks the tie within that group.
Previous SANS BootUp CTF winners can take part, but they are not eligible for a prize in this event. Review the official event page and complete the separate Ranges.io registration before the November 9 cutoff.
