RU
UZ
On December 22–23, Inha University in Tashkent hosted the cybersecurity hackathon CyberGuard CUP 2025, which was organized in the Capture the Flag (CTF) format. The event brought together students from technical universities, cybersecurity experts, and representatives of educational institutions and the IT industry.
The hackathon served as a collaborative platform where students, industry professionals, and experts addressed real-world cybersecurity challenges through competitive CTF tasks.
The main objective of the event was to develop students’ practical skills in cybersecurity, ranging from offensive and defensive operations (Red/Blue Team) to network traffic analysis and the design of secure architectures. A key feature of CyberGuard CUP 2025 was the full automation of processes: tasks, flags, and scoring were managed through a dedicated CTF platform, while the jury acted as moderators and verifiers, ensuring transparency and objectivity throughout the competition.
More than 200 students and 20 mentors with professional experience in cybersecurity took part in the hackathon. In addition to enhancing technical competencies, the event helped participants strengthen teamwork, strategic thinking, and the ability to make collective decisions under high-pressure conditions.
The winners received valuable prizes:
- 1st place: Full coverage of expenses for participation in an educational cyber camp in Georgia, along with a certificate
- 2nd place: 10 million UZS
- 3rd place: 5 million UZS
The Rector of Inha University in Tashkent, Bobur Abdullaev, commented:
“CyberGuard CUP 2025 became an important platform for developing practical competencies in the field of cybersecurity. We aimed to prepare specialists capable of addressing real digital challenges, making responsible decisions, and working effectively in teams. Such initiatives strengthened the connection between education and industry and contributed to the development of a sustainable digital ecosystem in the country.”
The company ONESEC acted as the main sponsor of the event, reaffirming its strategic commitment to the development of cybersecurity and the support of the professional community.
Dmitry Paleev, CEO of ONESEC LLC, noted:
“For us, supporting this event was more than sponsorship—it was an investment in the future. We consciously invested in the development of the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, as they would shape the digital resilience of businesses and society in the coming years.”
The overall goal of CyberGuard CUP 2025 was to promote ethical hacking, strengthen the culture of information security, and prepare students to effectively respond to real-world cyber threats.