Firebird Open CTF Competition 2026 Concludes with Enthusiastic Participation

The Firebird Open CTF Competition 2026, organized by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at HKUST, successfully concluded with the awards ceremony on 10 April 2026. This year's event continued the tradition of fostering cybersecurity awareness and technical excellence among students, drawing strong participation from top teams in tertiary and secondary institutions.

With a prize pool of HKD 18,000, fully supported by the CSE department, the competition provided a vibrant platform for students to showcase their problem-solving skills, teamwork, and creativity in tackling real-world cybersecurity challenges.

Winners of the Tertiary Institution Category

• Champion: Team Shedaniel (CUHK)
• 1st Runner-up: Team Icebird (HKUST, COMP3633 students)
• 2nd Runner-up: Team NuttyShell (PolyU)

Winners of the Secondary Institution Category

• Champion: Team It's🏇MySYJC!!!!
• 1st Runner-up: Team Grey Bricks
• 2nd Runner-up: Team 聖言Gemini學堂

Award Ceremony

The award ceremony was graced by distinguished guests:

• Prof. Xiaofang ZHOU, Head of HKUST CSE
• Prof. Charles ZHANG, Professor
• Dr. Shuai WANG, Associate Professor
• Dr. Dongdong SHE, Assistant Professor

Prof. Xiaofang ZHOU presented the awards to the winners of the tertiary institution category, while Dr. Shuai WANG honored the winners of the secondary institution category. Their presence underscored the department's commitment to nurturing young talent and promoting cybersecurity education.

Continuing the Firebird Legacy

The Firebird Open CTF Competition has become a signature event for the HKUST CSE community, inspiring students to push the boundaries of their technical expertise. This year's competition not only celebrated the outstanding achievements of the winners but also reinforced the collaborative spirit across institutions in Hong Kong.

Prof. Xiaofang ZHOU (Right), Head of HKUST CSE, presenting the Champion trophy to Team Shedaniel (CUHK).

Prof. Xiaofang ZHOU (Right) congratulating Team Icebird (HKUST) as the 1st Runner-up of the Tertiary Institution category.

Prof. Xiaofang ZHOU (Right) presenting the award to Team NuttyShell (PolyU), 2nd Runner-up of the Tertiary Institution category.

Dr. Shuai WANG (Right) presenting the Champion award to Team It's🏇MySYJC!!!! in the Secondary Institution category.

Dr. Shuai WANG (Right) congratulating Team Grey Bricks as the 1st Runner-up of the Secondary Institution category.

Dr. Shuai WANG (Right) presenting the award to Team 聖言Gemini學堂, 2nd Runner-up of the Secondary Institution category.