Congratulations: Team C0UGH1NGB4BY comprising (from right) Lee, Wong, Hong and Ruhan.
THE Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) has once again proven its excellence in the field of cybersecurity, with its students sweeping the top three positions at the Universiti Malaya Cybersecurity Summit (UMCS) Capture the Flag (CTF) Finals 2025, held from May 17 to 18.
CTF in cybersecurity is an exercise in which participants attempt to find text strings, called “flags”, which are secretly hidden within purposefully vulnerable programs or websites. These simulations are designed to test participants’ technical skills, critical thinking and problem-solving under pressure.
The competition, held at the Pusat Asasi Sains of UM in Kuala Lumpur, brought together some of the brightest minds in cybersecurity from across the country. It featured a wide spectrum of challenges, including forensics, blockchain, web exploitation, binary exploitation and reverse engineering.
APU’s exceptional performance at the event reflected its robust academic foundation, hands-on learning approach and strong industry-aligned training. These elements contribute to shaping future-ready professionals equipped with practical expertise and analytical rigour.
Crowned champion, Team C0UGH1NGB4BY comprised students Lee Kuang Weng, Wong Wei Jie, Hong Rui Yi and Ruhan Aidan Amaradasa. They led the scoreboard with an impressive 6,178 points, showcasing top-tier technical skills and collaborative problem-solving throughout the attack- and defence-style competition.
First runner-up honours went to Team Squad Buster, comprising Lee Juen Jiet, Lim Jin Wei, Tan Nick Kean and Jeremy Phang Kah Chun, who secured a solid 6,043 points.
Meanwhile, Team Formal Sweatpants – Shunsuke Tan Hei, Lim Shi Han and Leong Han Ming – achieved second runner-up with 5,286 points, completing the clean sweep for APU.
All three teams are enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computer Science (Cyber Security) programme and are active committee members of APU’s Forensic and Cybersecurity Research Centre – Student Section (FSEC-SS).
Tech brilliance
The students’ path to victory began with a preliminary Jeopardy-style round held from April 7 to 13, in which seven APU teams competed.
Five of those teams qualified for the finals, which featured a highly challenging attack and defence format.
In addition to the winning teams, Team Pusumrifa ranked seventh with 3,131 points and Team Fresh Hasher finished 24th with 1,650 points.
Other APU teams in the qualifiers included “just4fun” and “F1R3B0YZ”.
The competition was organised by Persatuan Komputer UM and co-organised by the Google Developer Group, with key industry support from Re:Hack, a cybersecurity consultancy known for its focus on vulnerability research and community outreach.
Industry exposure
The UMCS CTF Finals 2025 not only served as a battleground for cybersecurity challenges but also as a meaningful platform for students to engage with industry experts, network with peers and receive mentorship from leading practitioners in the field.
This achievement is especially significant as many of the APU participants are also involved in organising APU’s own flagship event – the upcoming Battle of Hackers competition – further underlining their commitment to cybersecurity excellence both in and out of the classroom.
Mentorship
This success story could not have been written without the guidance and dedication of APU’s academic mentors.
The students were coached and supported by School of Technology (SoT) senior lecturers Nor Azlina Abd Rahman and Noris Ismail, along with SoT senior head Assoc Prof Dr Thang Ka Fei.
Their combined efforts in fostering a hands-on, research-driven and industry-relevant learning ecosystem have played a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of cyber professionals.
Thang said, “This achievement speaks volumes about the calibre of our students and the strength of our cybersecurity curriculum.
“At APU, we are committed to cultivating not just academic excellence but also real-world capabilities.
“These results reaffirm our standing as a leading institution in producing highly skilled, industry-ready cybersecurity professionals who are prepared to take on the evolving digital landscape.”
With consistent wins and growing industry recognition, APU continues to lead the charge in developing cyber talent for the future.
