DSU CTF Club to host HiveCTF competition on April 18
April 16, 2026
Dakota State University’s CTF Club will host HiveCTF, a student Capture the Flag (CTF) virtual cybersecurity competition, on April 18 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Students are invited to participate in a full day of hands-on challenges designed to build and test cybersecurity skills.
The event will feature over $2,500 in prizes for DSU students, generously provided by MetaCTF and the Computer Club. Participants will compete in teams of up to four, working collaboratively to solve challenges across a variety of cybersecurity disciplines.
Designed to be beginner-friendly, HiveCTF will include standard CTF categories such as open-source intelligence (OSINT), cryptography, web exploitation, reverse engineering, digital forensics, and binary exploitation. In addition, the event will introduce a unique cloud exploitation category, giving students exposure to emerging areas in the field.
“CTF teaches you a lot about how to solve problems—not just for cybersecurity. It walks you through how to determine where to start, break a problem into steps, and manage time,” said Lia Schmidt, CTF Club leader. “A lot of CTFs are time-bound, so you learn to prioritize tasks. You also build teamwork and communication skills and get to know other people doing the competition.”