How to install Mellivora quickly with Docker?

Use the provided docker-compose setup from the install/docker/README.md file, which containers the PHP application and database for a streamlined deployment process. This minimizes manual configuration and gets a CTF instance running in minutes.

Mellivora vs CTFd which is better for scalability?

Mellivora is highlighted for its lightweight performance and AWS optimization, making it strong for large events on minimal hardware. CTFd is also scalable but may have different architectural choices; Mellivora's S3 integration and Elastic Beanstalk support give it an edge in cloud environments.

Does Mellivora support automatic challenge scoring?

Yes, it offers both manual and automatic free-text submission marking, with options for throttling and timing controls. This allows organizers to set up dynamic scoring without constant manual intervention.

Can I customize the scoreboard in Mellivora?

Absolutely, Mellivora provides dynamic scoreboards with support for multiple team types and CTF Time-compatible JSON output. Admins can configure these via the management console to suit competition needs.

Is Mellivora good for small educational CTFs?

Yes, with features like challenge hints, progress tracking, and email-based signup restrictions, it's well-suited for training workshops. However, the initial setup complexity might be overkill for very informal, one-off events.

How to add file-based challenges in Mellivora?

Upload files locally or to Amazon S3 through the admin console, with optional automatic MD5 appends for integrity. Detailed instructions are in the installation guide, allowing flexible challenge asset management.

Open-Awesome

Mellivora

GPL-3.0PHPv2.2.1

A lightweight, fast, and scalable CTF (Capture The Flag) competition engine written in PHP.

GitHub

452 stars169 forks0 contributors

What is Mellivora?

Mellivora is a PHP-based CTF (Capture The Flag) engine for hosting cybersecurity competitions. It provides a complete platform for creating challenges, managing teams, tracking scores, and administering events, solving the need for a customizable and scalable competition framework.

Target Audience

Cybersecurity educators, event organizers, and community leaders who need to run CTF competitions for training, recruitment, or entertainment purposes.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Mellivora for its lightweight performance, extensive feature set, and proven scalability on cloud platforms like AWS, making it suitable for both small workshops and large-scale international competitions.

Overview

Mellivora is a CTF engine written in PHP

Use Cases

Best For

Hosting cybersecurity training workshops with scored challenges
Organizing online CTF competitions for recruitment or education
Running large-scale events with cloud deployment on AWS
Creating custom challenge categories with timed releases
Managing team-based competitions with real-time scoreboards
Self-hosting a CTF platform with Docker for easy deployment

Not Ideal For

Organizers needing a fully-hosted, SaaS CTF platform with zero server management
Teams preferring modern JavaScript frameworks over PHP for full-stack control
Events requiring built-in video streaming or collaborative editing features

Pros & Cons

Pros

Lightweight Performance

Optimized to run efficiently on minimal hardware like EC2 micro instances, with benchmarks provided, ensuring fast load times even for large competitions.

Comprehensive CTF Features

Includes arbitrary categories, dynamic scoreboards with CTF Time compatibility, and submission throttling, covering all essential aspects of competition management.

Cloud-Scalable Architecture

Designed to scale well on Amazon Elastic Beanstalk with S3 file storage support, making it suitable for cloud deployments in large-scale events.

Easy Docker Deployment

Offers Docker setup via docker-compose, as detailed in the install guide, simplifying installation and reducing initial setup hurdles.

Cons

PHP Dependency

Built on PHP, which may not integrate well with modern JavaScript-centric development workflows and requires specific server environments, limiting flexibility for some teams.

Outdated UI Potential

The README emphasizes functionality over design; the interface may lack modern responsiveness and polish, as hinted by the screenshot gallery focusing on features.

Complex Configuration

Setup involves multiple steps like configuring caching, SMTP, and reCAPTCHA, which can be time-consuming and error-prone for new users without streamlined defaults.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

CTFd

CTFs as you need them

Stars6,664

Forks2,675

Last commit5 days ago

FBCTF

Platform to host Capture the Flag competitions

Stars6,563

Forks1,312

Last commit2 years ago

SecGen

Create randomly insecure VMs

Stars2,760

Forks327

Last commit11 days ago

RootTheBox

A Game of Hackers (CTF Scoreboard & Game Manager)

Stars1,107

Forks336

Last commit23 days ago

Community-curated · Updated weekly · 100% open source

Found a gem we're missing?

Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.

Submit a project Star on GitHub