Welcome!

Anyone can compete! No
previous experience
with COBOL is required.

Archived Videos

HOPE 2020
TX WC 2021

Archived Scores

Before GRIMMCON
GRIMMCON, April 14, 2020
Before DERPCON
DERPCON
July 2020
HOPE 2020
July 2021
TX WC 2021

COBOL CTF

Party Like It's 1959!

with Sam Bowne, Elizabeth Biddlecome,
Irvin Lemus and Kaitlyn Handelman
Scoreboard · Submit Flags

Challenges

ED 200: Google Cloud Linux Server  15
CBL 1: Basic COBOL  160
CBL 2: String Handling  50
CBL 3: File I/O  25
CBL 4: Tables  110
CBL 5: Subroutines  30
CBL 6: ASCII and Modular Arithmetic  60
CBL 7: RSA Encryption  170
CBL 8: IBM i Server  30
CBL 9: IBM Rational Developer for i  20

Technical References

COBOL Tutorial from JavaTPoint
COBOL Tutorial from TutorialsPoint
GnuCOBOL Manual
GnuCOBOL Sample Programs
GNU COBOL 2.0 Programmer's Guide (PDF)
COBOL - SUBROUTINES
Free IBM COBOL course

Cultural References

COBOL-coding volunteers sought
95% of ATM swipes rely on COBOL
Banks scramble to fix old systems
Our Government Runs on COBOL
Is Java the next COBOL?L

Testimonials

Dear God
What the hell is wrong
with you people, COBOL
I am going to have to
check it out LOL

Boss: What do you think of COBOL?
Me: Fuck COBOL, its why checks
take 3 days to clear the bank.
Boss: Wanna learn COBOL for a CTF?
Me: Hell yes!

Lol cobol CTF? That's like participating
in a CTF that's written in Swahili bro

This was a great way to learn why
I never want to do any actual
COBOL work.

I'm endeavouring, Ma'am,
to construct a mnemonic
memory circuit using
stone knives and
bear-skins.

An elegant weapon
for a more civilized age

The Terminator
runs COBOL

Warning

If you are looking
for a job, don't learn
COBOL.

Learn a modern
language like
Python, C++, or Java.

This CTF is intended
only for very
silly people.