My Journey in the Cyber Apocalypse 2025 – Tales From Eldoria 🏰🐉

📜 Tales From Eldoria

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in the incredible Cyber Apocalypse 2025 – Tales From Eldoria event organized by HackTheBox. And let me tell you, it was an absolutely memorable experience! 🎉

From the moment I stepped into the world of Eldoria, I was captivated by the quality and attention to detail in every aspect of the challenge. The websites were comprehensive, with stunning animations that truly brought the fantasy theme to life. It was like being transported to the realm, where each challenge was a thrilling new quest. 🧙‍♂️✨

One of the things that impressed me the most was the variety of categories available. With OSINT, Blockchain, Coding, Cryptography, Forensics, Machine Learning, AI, Pwn, Reverse Engineering, Secure Coding, and Web, there was something for everyone’s taste. This allowed each participant to find their favorite challenges and really shine in their areas of expertise. 🌟

Personally, the Coding challenges were the ones that captivated me the most. I was fortunate enough to solve all of them, and I was fascinated by how each one revolved around a central algorithm, such as Kadane. It was a great opportunity to revisit concepts I hadn’t seen in a long time and even learn some new tricks. The clean interface and clear instructions made the coding experience very enjoyable. 💻📜

After finishing all the coding challenges, I started Web, but unfortunately, I only had time to complete the first two! ☹️

In addition to the technical quality, the fantasy theme of the CTF was a very fun addition. Exploring this world inspired by “The Lord of the Rings,” completing missions, and unraveling mysteries added an extra layer of excitement to the entire event. 🏰🗡️

Overall, the CTF platform itself was exceptional. The design and execution of the interface were flawless, making navigation and participation effortless. Everything worked perfectly, allowing us to fully focus on the challenges instead of struggling with technical issues. 🚀

If I had to point out an area for improvement, it would be communication with the community directly through the CTF panel. While there were updates on Discord and Twitch, having some messages or videos from the organizers within the platform itself would have been a great addition to keep everyone engaged and informed. 📢💬

One feature I believe would significantly enhance the CTF experience is a collaborative annotation system integrated directly into the challenge platform. This would allow team members to share observations, insights, and partial solutions in real-time as they work through challenges.

Imagine being able to add notes like “I’ve identified this encryption algorithm as a variant of RC4” or “The web application seems vulnerable to prototype pollution at this endpoint” directly on the challenge page. These annotations would be visible only to your team members, creating a shared knowledge repository that evolves throughout the competition.

This collaborative approach would be particularly valuable when team members work asynchronously across different time zones. Rather than scrolling through lengthy Discord conversations or missing crucial information shared during offline hours, all insights would be centralized and contextually linked to specific challenges.

The system could even include the ability to tag team members, prioritize challenges based on collective progress, and maintain a history of solution attempts to avoid redundant work. This would transform the CTF from a collection of individual efforts into a truly synergistic team experience where knowledge compounds effectively.

With a busy work schedule, it was difficult to find enough time to delve into categories other than Coding and Web. But I understand the constraints, and despite that, I managed to make the most of the experience. ⏰🎯

From the creative challenges to the flawless execution, it was a truly memorable event. I am grateful to HackTheBox and everyone involved for their hard work in creating this amazing CTF. I’m excited to see what the future holds and can’t wait for my next adventure in Eldoria! 🎉🏆

💀 Challenges I Completed

Here are the detailed writeups for each of the coding and web challenges I had the pleasure of solving during the CTF. To keep the spirit of the event alive, I’ve written them from the perspective of a character within the fantastical universe of Eldoria. So, prepare to immerse yourself in a world of magic, dragons, and heroic quests as we explore the algorithmic wonders that awaited us in each challenge. Get ready for an epic adventure filled with coding prowess and enchanting tales! 🧙‍♂️✨