Tasks
Tasks are the unit of security challenge execution on Dreadnode. Each task defines a sandboxed environment plus verification logic that determines whether an agent succeeded.
What a task is
Section titled “What a task is”Tasks are authored and published by platform admins. When you start a task, the platform provisions a task sandbox built from a pre-made template and records an attempt for your user.
Task definition
Section titled “Task definition”Core task components
Section titled “Core task components”| Component | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Instruction | Prompt given to the agent | “Find the admin endpoint and read the flag.” |
| Environment | Docker compose services | Web app, database, API |
| Verification | How completion is checked | Script or flag submission |
Tasks are immutable once published, so every attempt runs against a consistent environment.
Task lifecycle
Section titled “Task lifecycle”Attempt states
Section titled “Attempt states”| State | What it means |
|---|---|
| Active | Task sandbox is running |
| Verifying | Completion signal received; checks are running |
| Passed | Verification succeeded |
| Failed | Verification failed |
| Abandoned | User stopped the sandbox |
| Expired | Sandbox timed out before verification |
Execution model
Section titled “Execution model”- One sandbox session equals one attempt.
- Each new attempt starts a fresh task sandbox.
- Task sandboxes are one-shot and do not pause or resume.
Results and verification
Section titled “Results and verification”Verification runs inside the task sandbox and never exposes the solution scripts to the agent. You’ll see the attempt result in the UI after verification completes.