How Long Does It Take a Challenge Environment to Launch?¶

Abstract

This article details launch times you might encounter when working with challenge environments.

“Challenge environments” are virtual environments that emulate the functions of a physical computer, accessible within a CTF challenge. When players join a CTF, challenge environments are prepared behind the scenes. Although these environments are ready to launch, they remain in a stopped state. Launching them requires time for the startup process, which typically takes about 1 minute.

Once the challenge environment is running, players can access and interact with it. After the player finishes using the environment and navigates away to another challenge, the environment will remain running for 5 minutes. During this time, the player can return to the environment instantly. After 5 minutes of inactivity, the environment will shut down. Re-launching the environment will then take approximately 1 minute for the startup process.

Typical Launch Times for Challenge Environments¶

For your convenience, the table below provides a summary of the behavior outlined above for quick reference:

Scenario	Launch Time
First Launch of the Environment	1 minute
Returning to the Environment Within 5 Minutes	5 seconds
Returning to the Environment After 5 Minutes	1 minute
Returning to the Environment After Clicking the “Terminate” Button	1 minute

Important

After a challenge has been solved, the environment will no longer be accessible to both the player and their team members.

Have a Question? Contact Support¶

If you experience any issues starting or viewing Cloud CTF in your web browser, please refer to the article titled Can't Launch Cloud CTF for helpful tips on resolving the matter.

We're here to help you. If you still have questions after reviewing the information above, please feel free to submit a ticket with our Support Team and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.