February 4, 2026 🔗︎
Mercyhurst University’s Center for Intelligence Research, Analysis, and Training (CIRAT) has been a partner in Maltego’s Grants for Education and Research programs for the past two years. Building on this ongoing collaboration, CIRAT and Maltego have strategically partnered to co-deliver an Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) Capture the Flag (CTF) challenge designed to strengthen applied investigative skills.
The Maltego Community OSINT CTF will take place on February 7, 2026, running for four hours starting at 09:00 ET (15:00 CET), and will be accessible online to participants worldwide. This collaboration brings together CIRAT’s renowned academic expertise with Maltego’s role as a global platform for investigators, providing the stage for practitioners worldwide to apply, test, and share investigative methods.
“We are honored to partner with Maltego in providing our expertise in open-source intelligence for this event,” said Brian Fuller, Executive Director of CIRAT. “The Mercyhurst University Intelligence Studies Program graduate students, led by Brandon Mazzei, contributed the open-source dataset for the Maltego Capture the Flag event, demonstrating the depth of academic skill and practical application. We look forward to supporting Maltego in delivering a challenging and engaging experience for participants from the global intelligence community.”
As OSINT continues to mature as a discipline, CTF challenges have become a prominent feature of leading security conferences and industry forums, offering a practical and engaging way to develop investigative skills by placing participants in realistic, time-bound scenarios that bridge the gap between theory and practice. The Maltego Community OSINT CTF advances this approach through collaboration with CIRAT, mapping academic curricula and research initiatives into practical, real-world investigation scenarios for OSINT practitioners worldwide.
“Maltego has been part of the OSINT community from the start—we’ve supported frontline investigators and organizations like Bellingcat for years,” said Lukas von Grebmer, VP of Marketing & Growth at Maltego. “Our partnership with CIRAT builds on that. We’re designing challenges that reflect how investigators actually work, not just how they’re taught.”
He added, “The CTF brings together students, researchers, and professionals to test real methods, share insights, and learn from one another. It’s practical, collaborative, and exactly what this space needs.”
The Maltego OSINT Community CTF brings together investigators, researchers, and students worldwide in a collaborative environment built around real-world investigative challenges. Participants exchange expertise, work through complex scenarios, and form professional connections that extend beyond the event itself. Designed for all experience levels, the CTF supports skill development while reinforcing collaboration across the global OSINT community.
Those interested in testing and developing their OSINT and investigative skills can register for the event here. The event is open to participants of all skill levels and offers a chance to engage with a diverse, international network of investigators and OSINT practitioners.
About the Maltego OSINT Community CTF
Designed by CIRAT in collaboration with graduate students and faculty, the challenge content reflects industry best practices and applied research methods. Open to participants of all skill levels, the second edition of the event offers a global, interactive environment that brings the OSINT community together in one place.
