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/* Cypherpunk Wargames: Mountainous Forest Operation */
NOTE: This is an alternative to traditional learning methods, but is
nevertheless grounded in traditional responsibility. Please do not
read too much into this.
Cypherpunk Wargames are tactical training operations designed to engage hackers
in a wide range of strategic and technological thought. Participants are taken
out of their familiar environments and into a very challenging fourth-
generation warfare exercise for several days. Creativity and adaptability of
many varients is required for success in this setting.
Each operation is conducted as a unique scenario with it's own special
requirements. This is a Mountainous Forest operation. Participants will be
divided into several units, and then battle each other in a simultaneous land-
and network-based wargame carried out while encamped on a rugged mountainside.
Many strategies for attack and defense will be available, but only one will end
up successful.
Several pilots of this exercise have already been completed in praire,
woodland, and subterranean urban environments. This will be the first full-
scale training operation.
For more information, see http://nthought.com/wargames/, or send mail to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
SCENARIO
Mountainous Forest
backup plan: Mountainous Desert
DATE
November 7th - 11th, 2002
Extended Veterans' Day Weekend
LOCATION
Several possibilities are still being explored.
Primary target:
Julian, CA - mid-elevation wooded hills; a suitable location has been
found here, and arrangements have been made.
Secondary targets:
Yucca Valley, CA - desert; we've got a workable location here, too; this is
the backup plan.
Big Bear / Arrowhead, CA region - due to high fire hazard, this national
forest area is now closed until the risk is diminished.
RULES
=
The rules are in an active state of development. Expect the rules
about capturing opponents to change most drastically.
Teams and Team Selection:
- there will be several opposing teams (likely to be 4, but could be 3-5)
- the number of teams will be determined by the number of particpants
available; there will be 7-15 participants per team, and we are expecting
40-60 participants, plus another dozen coordinators
- each participant will vote names for selection of the team captains
- each participant will have the opportunity to optionally make some of his
equipment resources and skills known
- team captains will draft their team members in rounds
- each team will have a passphrase assigned to it
- the team passphrase will give access to a central server, as well as to a
GPG PK pair located there
- the team passphrase will not be cryptographically strong; assume that it
is crackable within a reasonable amount of time
Terrain and Connectivity:
- the operating area will have been divided into several zones -- one for
each team, and one or more DMZs
- each team will build one or more camps (tents, networks, etc.) within
their zone
- each team will be connected to the central NOC/HQ via a wireless network
bridge
Network Services:
- each team must run servers for which points will be granted (up to 10 servers
will be point-granting)
- each server will be assigned one digitally-signed flag keyword file and
several encrypted flag location files (one for each opposing team); these
files are to be placed in the primary file system root directory, readable
only by the system superuser
- each server must run at least 10 Well Known services (ports 1024), more for
extra points (up to 30 point-granting services)
- additional points will be granted for running an older operating system on
each server (with age defined as the date when 80% of the code was built)
- additional points will be granted per server for creating a guest shell
account/password and advertising it on a publically accessible service;
this account must have a traditional, fully functional shell (don't be
stupid), though it may be enabled in a more restricted mode; the associated
server must also be running a fully functional remote shell access service;
for full credit, this must be enabled within 8 hours of each server going
into operation
Operations:
- any participant may takedown a member of an opposing team (this isn't
through physical assault, but through a hand-to-hand range nonrepudiable
tagging mechanism)
- the hit participant is out of commission for a small period of time, their
team loses points, and the team's central NOC/HQ account is locked for ten
minutes (the exact procedure here is still in development)
- during cease-fires (meals, additional instruction, etc.), all persons are
to be accounted for and must cease to attack; machines, however, are allowed
to do whatever they like
Flags:
- the event coordinators will have strategically hidden 10 flags per team,
with each team's flags being placed within