Server Configuration

Configure CTFLab for your Discord server with essential settings like success channels, audit logs, and difficulty levels.

Initial Setup

When CTFLab joins your server for the first time:

1. Database initializes automatically
2. Default configuration created
3. Ready to create challenges

No manual setup required — start with /create-ctf immediately if you want!

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Core Configuration Commands

Success Channel

Designate where solve announcements appear:

/ctf-success-channel [channel]

When a member solves a challenge, this channel receives:

• Member name
• Challenge title and ID
• Difficulty badge
• Attempt count
• First-blood status (if applicable)

Example announcement:

@Alice solved Web Exploitation (ID 1) in 2/10 attempts!
[First Blood]

Best practice: Create a dedicated #ctf-wins or #solutions channel.

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Answer Logs (Optional)

Log all flag submission attempts (correct and incorrect):

/ctf-answer-logs [channel]

What gets logged:

• Timestamp of attempt
• Member name
• Challenge ID
• Flag submitted (masked or visible based on config)
• Result (✓ correct / ✗ incorrect)

Use cases:

• Detect potential cheating patterns
• Audit challenge difficulty
• Identify common wrong answers
• Review attempt behavior

Best practice: Make this channel admin-only or private.

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Admin Audit Logs

Full administrative audit trail for all CTF management:

/admin-logs [channel]

Logs every action:

• Challenge creation / edits / deletions
• Configuration changes (difficulty, points, roles)
• Top-3 role changes
• First-blood configuration
• Leaderboard updates
• Event creation / deletion
• Manual solve awards
• Solve revocations

Color-coded by action type:

Color	Meaning	Example
🟢 Green	Creation	New CTF posted
🟡 Yellow	Configuration	Points adjusted
🟠 Orange	Edits	Challenge guidance updated
🔴 Red	Destructive	Challenge deleted
🔵 Blue	Archives	Challenge closed

Best practice: Make this channel admin-only. Pin important entries.

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Difficulty Configuration

Default Levels

CTFLab comes with built-in difficulty levels:

• Easy
• Medium
• Hard
• Insane

Custom Difficulty Labels

Create guild-specific labels:

/ctf-config-difficulty

Interactive setup:

1. Modal opens with 4 input fields
2. Enter custom names (e.g., “Beginner”, “Intermediate”, “Advanced”, “Expert”)
3. Save
4. All future challenges use your custom labels

Example:

Default:     Easy → Medium → Hard → Insane
Your Guild:  101  → 201   → 301  → 401

Use in CTF builder:

/create-ctf
→ Choose difficulty: 101 (was Easy), 201, 301, 401

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Points Configuration

Enable competitive scoring based on challenge difficulty:

/ctf-config-points

Interactive setup:

1. Modal opens with 4 point input fields
2. Enter points for each difficulty (e.g., Easy=100, Hard=400)
3. Save
4. Leaderboard switches to points mode automatically

Example Configuration:

Easy:    100 pts
Medium:  250 pts
Hard:    400 pts
Insane:  600 pts

Automatic calculation: When a member solves a challenge, they earn the points for that difficulty × first-blood multiplier (if enabled).

See also: Leaderboard System for scoring details.

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Role Management

CTF Creator Role

Allow non-admin members to create challenges:

/allow-ctf [role]

After setup, members with that role can run /create-ctf.

Example:

/allow-ctf @CTF Creators
→ Members with @CTF Creators role can now create challenges
→ Still need manage_guild permission for editing/deleting

Revoke creator role:

/allow-ctf-clear
→ Removes the CTF creator role
→ Only admins can create CTFs again

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Creator Self-Solve

Control whether CTF creators can solve their own challenges:

/enable-creator-solves
→ Creators CAN solve their own challenges

/disable-creator-solves
→ Creators CANNOT solve their own challenges (silent block on attempt)

Best practice for events: Disable this during tournaments to prevent bias.

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Channel Organization

Recommended Setup

Create a dedicated category for CTFs:

📁 CTF Challenges
├── 🔥 ctf-wins (Success announcements)
├── 💬 ctf-general (Discussion)
├── 🏆 leaderboard (Leaderboard embeds)
├── 📋 audit-logs (Admin actions, private)
└── 🚨 submission-logs (Flag attempts, private)

Permissions:

• #ctf-wins, #leaderboard, #ctf-general — Public read-only
• #audit-logs, #submission-logs — Admin-only

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Verification & Testing

Verify Configuration

Check what’s currently configured:

/ctf-config-points
→ Shows current point values

/ctf-config-difficulty
→ Shows current difficulty labels

/ctf-success-channel [channel]
→ Re-run to change destination

Test Your Setup

1. Create a test challenge:

   /create-ctf → Title: "Test Challenge", Difficulty: Easy, Flag: "flag{test}"

2. Submit the flag:

   • Click “Submit Flag”
   • Type: flag{test}
   • Verify success announcement appears in success channel

3. Check audit log:

   • Verify challenge creation logged in audit channel

4. View leaderboard:

   • Run /ctf-leaderboard to post leaderboard
   • Your name should appear with 1 solve

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Multi-Guild Scoping

Note

Each guild has completely independent configuration:

• Guild A: Easy=100, Medium=300, Hard=600
• Guild B: Easy=50, Medium=150, Hard=300

Changes in Guild A don’t affect Guild B. Each guild’s settings are isolated in the database.

This means CTFLab supports:

• Casual communities (low point values)
• Competitive leagues (high point values)
• Educational settings (custom difficulty names)
• All simultaneously on the same bot instance

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Best Practices

Set Up Channels First

Create your channel structure before publishing challenges. Use /ctf-success-channel once you know where solves should announce.

Enable Audit Logs

Even for small servers, enable audit logs. It helps troubleshoot issues and provides accountability.

Customize Difficulty Names

If your community has a theme (e.g., CTF101 course), customize difficulty labels to match your curriculum.

Test Configuration

Create a test challenge and verify success announcements appear in the right channel before inviting your community.

Document Your Rules

Post a pinned message in #ctf-general explaining:

• How scoring works (points or solve-count)
• CTF schedule and how to join events
• What happens if you submit too many wrong flags
• Rules about sharing solutions

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Troubleshooting

Q: Where are solve announcements going? A: Run /ctf-success-channel without arguments to verify the configured channel. Bot must have permission to send messages there.

Q: Changes to points didn’t apply to existing solves A: Points configuration only affects new solves. Existing solves use their original point values.

Q: Creator role doesn’t seem to work A: Verify the role exists and is assigned to the member. Use /allow-ctf [role] again to re-apply.

Q: Audit log isn’t showing events A: Make sure the audit log channel exists and the bot has permission to send messages there.

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Next Steps

• Roles & Permissions — Top-3 roles and solver roles
• Audit Logs — Detailed audit logging dashboard
• CTF Builder — Creating challenges