Curtin Malaysia CTF Hackathon 2024 unveils top cybersecurity talents

Miri, Sarawak – 14 October 2024 – The Curtin Malaysia Capture The Flag (CTF) Hackathon 2024 v2.0 delivered an electrifying weekend of innovation and competition, drawing 159 participants from across Malaysia to tackle advanced cybersecurity challenges. With 61 teams in the running, the 24-hour event showcased the nation’s brightest up-and-coming ethical hackers, all vying for a share of the RM 7,500 prize pool.

Hosted by Curtin Malaysia’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, in collaboration with the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), this year’s hackathon tested the participants’ skills in areas like web security, forensics, open-source intelligence (OSINT), cryptography, and reverse engineering.

The top ten teams secured positions on the leaderboard, with the top three teams earning the opportunity to present their strategies at the prestigious International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS 2024) on October 17 in Kuching.

Team Din Tai Fung Slayer from Asia Pacific University, comprising Shunsuke Tan Hei, Lim Jin Wei, and Leong Han Ming, claimed the top spot, while UniKL’s Malaysian Institute of Information Technology (MIIT) team consisting of Haziq Izzuddin Mohd Shukri, Muhammad Ikhwan Mohd Nizam, and Mohammad Haziq bin Osman, and another from Asia Pacific University, Team Squad Buster comprising Jeremy Phang Kah Chun, Tan Nick Kean, and Lee Juen Jiet, secured second and third places, respectively.

The three teams showcased their expertise in the Curtin Capture the Flag: Cybersecurity Hackathon Demo in the Startup Village track at IDECS 2024, which was one of the highlights of the conference. The demo was moderated by Nur Hartini Mardan, SDEC’s Manager of Tech and Talent Transfer and Dr. Sivaraman Eswaran, Senior Lecturer of Computing (Cyber Security) at Curtin Malaysia’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Participation in the event was open to students enrolled in Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes at Malaysian institutions, including international students. Teams of three members each represented various universities, fostering a vibrant atmosphere of collaboration and competition. Notably, 14 teams from Sarawak participated, underscoring the region’s burgeoning interest in cybersecurity.

Present to support the event and present prizes to the winners were key dignitaries like Sarawak’s Minister of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, and Sarawak Chief Scientist and Chief Advisor for Digital Economy to the Sarawak Government, Professor Jugdutt (Jack) Singh.

Terence Tan, Head of Curtin Malaysia’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, lauded the hackathon as a vital platform for nurturing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, preparing them to meet the demands of Sarawak’s rapidly evolving digital economy. Dr. Khairul Hafiz, Head of the Research and Product Development Department at SDEC, also underscored the importance of innovation and collaboration in the field.

At the event’s closing ceremony, Dr. Veeramani Shanmugam, Senior Lecturer of Computer Systems from Curtin Malaysia’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, praised the participants for their competitive spirt and perseverance, and encouraged them to continue contributing to the field of cybersecurity throughout their studies and in their future careers.

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Dato Sri Roland (standing middle), Prof. Jugdutt (Jack) Singh (standing second right) and other dignitaries with the winners