Curtin Malaysia’s CTF Hackathon 2025 v3.0 draws over 200 cyber defenders in high-intensity 24-hour national showdown

Miri, Sarawak – 12 December 2025 – Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) has wrapped up its highly anticipated Curtin Malaysia Capture The Flag (CTF) Hackathon 2025 v3.0, a 24-hour national cybersecurity marathon that saw more than 200 aspiring cyber defenders push their skills to the limit in a fully online, round-the-clock battle of digital wits.

Organised by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Curtin Malaysia in collaboration with the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) and supported by Sarawak Information Systems Sdn. Bhd. (SAINS), this year’s edition delivered the event’s largest turnout to date – 75 teams from universities and colleges across Malaysia.

The hackathon kicked off with a virtual opening ceremony officiated by Dr. Bridgid Chin Lai Fui, Associate Dean of Research & Development at the Faculty of Engineering and Science. Her remarks set the stage for a non-stop problem-solving sprint, as participants tackled a suite of real-world cybersecurity scenarios spanning Forensics, Cryptography, OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence), Web Exploitation, Reverse Engineering, Cloud Security, Hardware/IoT, and more.

After 24 hours of intense strategising and rapid-fire technical challenges, Team Flag/Abuser from UniKL Malaysian Institute of Information Technology (UniKL MIIT) emerged as the national champion, securing the RM 2,500 grand prize.

Teams from Asia Pacific University (APU) delivered a powerhouse performance, sweeping second (RM1,500) and third place (RM1,000), and dominating the remaining top ranks. APU’s B1ngChilling, Balai Polis, Chill Jazz, and Clàudia Enitan teams captured fourth to seventh place, each earning RM250.

Participants lauded the event for its creative, fair, and technically robust challenges, with OSINT, Web Exploitation, and Hardware categories emerging as favourites. Many praised the smooth coordination via Discord, comprehensive orientation, and strong support provided throughout the marathon.

The closing ceremony, officiated by Dr. Veeramani Shanmugam, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, celebrated the relentless teamwork, passion, and resilience demonstrated by all teams. Dr. Veeramani reaffirmed Curtin Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening Malaysia’s cybersecurity talent pipeline through experiential learning and industry collaboration.

Curtin Malaysia extends its deepest appreciation to the coordinators, challenge authors, faculty members, student volunteers, and partners SDEC and SAINS for their crucial support in delivering yet another successful national-level initiative.

For more information on Curtin Malaysia, visit curtin.edu.my or look for Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or TikTok.

Closing ceremony of the Curtin CTF Hackathon 2025 v3 on 7 December, featuring participants, organisers, and faculty representatives.

Final score trajectories of the top 10 teams at the event’s conclusion (7 December, 10 am)