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The Range: Live CTF

How to enter The Range, work a live Linux target, submit flags, and follow the competition

guidesLast updated 2026-07-27

The Range

The Range is where CLI-Games stops being a simulation. Unlike the static CTF skills tree, each event runs on isolated Linux infrastructure with a shared target and live scoring.

How It Works

Each Range event deploys a shared target server running vulnerable services. When you connect, you get your own personal attack box — an Alpine Linux container with standard security tools pre-installed. All attack boxes share the same network as the target.

Your job is to find and capture objectives before the event closes. Each answer is hidden somewhere on the target. Find it, submit it, and the scoreboard updates in real time.

Connecting

There are several ways to get to The Range:

  • range — Check event status and connect
  • daily ctf or daily range — Shortcut from the daily challenge board
  • The Range — Read the briefing, enter as a player, or open the spectator view

If no event is running, the command shows the current status and the public site keeps the completed-event archive available.

What to Expect

When you connect to a live event, you'll see:

  • Briefing — Event name, description, and the list of objectives
  • Terminal — A browser terminal connected to your personal attack box
  • Sidebar — Live objectives, connected players, activity feed, countdown timer, and capture stats

The attack box is yours alone. Other players cannot see your commands or interfere with your session. The target is shared — everyone attacks the same system.

Submitting Answers

When you find an objective's answer, submit it from your attack box:

submit <answer>

No need to specify which objective — the system matches your answer against all active objectives automatically. If it's correct, you get the capture and everyone sees it on the scoreboard.

Scoring

  • Captures award the points shown in the event briefing
  • The activity feed shows captures in real time
  • The scoreboard and spectator view update while the event is live

Tips

  • Enumerate first. Don't start exploiting until you understand what's running. nmap, netstat, ps — map the terrain before you move.
  • Read the briefing. Objective descriptions often contain hints about where to look. Don't skip them.
  • Use your static training. Everything you learned in the CTF skills tree applies here. The commands are the same, the thinking is the same — the target just fights back.
  • Keep notes. A fast dead end is still a dead end. Record what each service reveals and change course when the evidence stops moving.

Requirements

  • A CLI-Games account (sign up with signup in the terminal)
  • A modern browser with JavaScript enabled
  • An active Range event (check with range or daily ctf)

See Also