Privacy Policy
Platform: Puzzled Hackers (ctf.puzzledhackers.org) | Last Updated: May 2026
Puzzled Hackers operates a cybersecurity Capture The Flag (CTF) platform. We are committed to protecting our users' privacy and only collect the minimum amount of personal data necessary to maintain a secure, functional, and fair platform.
We do not sell, rent, or lease your personal information to third parties.
01. Information We Collect
We limit data collection to information provided directly by you, or generated automatically through standard server interactions:
- Account Information: Upon registration, we collect your email address. This information is required for user authentication, secure account recovery, and tracking challenge progression.
- Technical Data: When navigating the platform, our systems automatically log network details including your IP address, browser user-agent string, and timestamps associated with user requests or flag submissions.
02. How We Use Your Information
Your data is processed under the legal bases of contractual fulfillment and legitimate interest:
- Service Delivery: Your email address is utilized to authenticate login sessions and maintain state synchronization for completed challenges.
- Platform Security: IP addresses and system logs are reviewed strictly for security monitoring, automated brute-force mitigation, DDoS prevention, and anti-cheat validation.
03. Analytics Transparency
To monitor infrastructure performance and traffic trends, we utilize Umami, a privacy-focused analytics platform. Umami does not deploy tracking cookies, does not track users across external sites, and does not harvest personally identifiable information (PII). All data is completely anonymized and aggregated.
04. Data Retention Policies
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill operational obligations:
- Account Data: Your email address is retained continuously while your account remains active.
- Security Logs: Server log data containing IP addresses is automatically pruned, overwritten, or destroyed within a maximum window of 45 days.
[USER RIGHTS & ACCOUNT DELETION]
We respect your right to control your personal information. Users have the right to request access to or permanent erasure of any data held by the platform.
05. Security Measures
We implement industry-standard technical controls to safeguard user information. This includes enforcing HTTPS encryption for all data in transit and maintaining strict logical separation controls over database access. However, no method of transmission or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
06. California Privacy Disclosures
As Puzzled Hackers is operated out of California, we comply with applicable state privacy standards. We explicitly confirm that we do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined under California statutory frameworks.
Contact Information
For privacy compliance inquiries or data requests, please contact us via email at: [email protected].