C2C-CTF 2026 Unites Young Cyber Talents Across Borders: AJCCA Takes Part
Bali, Indonesia, August 13, 2026 – Nearly 100 university students representing 15 countries came together for the Country-to-Country Capture-the-Flag (C2C-CTF) Cybersecurity Challenge 2026, demonstrating that the future of cybersecurity depends not only on technical excellence, but also on international collaboration, knowledge sharing, and friendship.
Hosted this year by Universitas Indonesia (UI), C2C-CTF 2026 brought together students from universities around the world to compete in an intensive full-day Capture-the-Flag competition. Participants faced a series of cybersecurity challenges designed to test their technical skills, creativity, problem-solving abilities, persistence, and strategic thinking.
Unlike conventional cybersecurity competitions, C2C-CTF has a distinctive international collaboration model. Each team consists of five students from different countries and universities.
This structure means that participants must do more than solve technical problems. They must learn how to communicate, coordinate strategies, exchange knowledge, and build trust with teammates from different national, academic, and cultural backgrounds.
The competition therefore reflects an important reality of today’s cybersecurity landscape: cyber threats do not recognize national borders, and defending against them increasingly requires collaboration that crosses those same borders.
“Don’t Just Capture the Flag. Capture Knowledge.”
The importance of building cybersecurity communities was also highlighted during the opening ceremony.
Rudi Lumanto, Chairman of the ASEAN Japan Cybersecurity Community Alliance (AJCCA), who participated as a speaker in the event’s expert panel discussion, emphasized that cybersecurity professionals need to continuously update their knowledge through information exchange and collaboration.
He encouraged the young participants to see C2C-CTF as more than a competition.
“Don’t just capture the flag. Capture knowledge. Capture friendship. Build a strong community.”
The message reflects the broader purpose of C2C-CTF: developing not only technically capable cybersecurity professionals, but also a new generation of professionals who understand the importance of international networks and communities.
As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated and technologies such as artificial intelligence rapidly transform both cyber offense and defense, no individual, organization, or country can address cybersecurity challenges alone.
Communities provide an environment where knowledge can move faster, lessons from incidents can be shared, and young cybersecurity talents can learn directly from peers and experts.
METWO Wins C2C-CTF 2026
After an intense day of competition, METWO emerged as the champion of C2C-CTF 2026.
The multinational team earned 18,400 points and secured the Gold Medal by completing the competition as the fastest team.
METWO consisted of:
- Tyler Schwehr – Edith Cowan University, Australia
- Vandoeun Khao – Cambodia Academy, Cambodia
- Siriphonh Boupha – National University of Laos, Laos
- Jacinta Sylloam – ITSN, Indonesia
- Bambang Priyanto – Binus University, Indonesia
PTR-CAT Takes Silver
PTR-CAT secured second place with 18,400 points, earning the Silver Medal as the runner-up.
The team brought together students from Japan, the United States, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan:
- Itsuki Kano – Keio University, Japan
- Cristian Puerto – George Mason University, United States
- Made Naradeon Handika P – Telkom University, Indonesia
- Dias Akhmetbekov – Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan
- Azka Ainul Maarij – Bina Nusantara University, Indonesia
Team 7 Secures Bronze
Third place went to Team 7, which collected 16,800 points and received the Bronze Medal, with the recognition “The Persistent.”
Its members represented Cambodia, the United States, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan:
- Seyhakbondeth Doung – Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology, Cambodia
- Amaan Abbas – George Mason University, United States
- Ahmad Idza Anafin – ITS, Indonesia
- Ilyas Karagoishiyev – KazNU, Kazakhstan
- Evandita Wiratama Putra – Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia
The results underline the international character of the competition. Rather than competing simply as representatives of individual countries, students must work alongside participants from other nations to achieve a common objective.
From Competition to Global Cybersecurity Community
C2C-CTF has developed into a continuing international cybersecurity education initiative.
The program began its first five-year cycle in 2020–2024, with Royal Holloway, University of London hosting in 2020, followed by Technion in 2021, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2022, Keio University in 2023, and Edith Cowan University in 2024. The first three editions were conducted online, while in-person activities began in 2023.
Its second five-year cycle covers 2025–2029. Northeastern University hosted the program in 2025, followed by Universitas Indonesia in 2026. George Mason University is scheduled for 2027, Keio University for 2028, and Royal Holloway, University of London for 2029.
The continuing rotation among universities in different countries reinforces the initiative’s ambition of building a global cybersecurity community through continuous collaboration.
C2C-CTF 2026 ultimately demonstrated that the most valuable outcome of a cybersecurity competition is not necessarily found only on the scoreboard.
Flags are captured and medals are awarded, but the knowledge exchanged, friendships created, and international networks established during the competition can remain long after the final challenge is completed.
And that may be one of the most important lessons for the next generation of cybersecurity professionals:
Cybersecurity is not only a competition against threats—but also a collaboration among people.
