Welcome!

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

















COBOL CTF

Party Like It's 1959!

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

Final Scores for HOPE 2020

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

Archived Scoreboards

Scores 7-27-2020
Final DERPCON Scores
Archived Scores Before DERPCON
Final GRIMMCON Scores 4-14-20
Scores Before GRIMMCON

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.