APU Forensics and Cyber Security Research Centre - Student Section (FSeC-SS) members dominated the 3rd UTAR-FICT Intervarsity CTF Challenge 2026, sweeping all top three podium spots at UTAR Kampar Campus, with team B4by_Sh4rk taking first place, followed by team Little White Group as first runner-up and team 2N2 as second runner-up, attributing their clean sweep to strong teamwork and effective academic mentorship.

Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) staged a complete podium sweep at the 3rd Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)-Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (FICT) Intervarsity Capture the Flag (CTF) Challenge: The Amazing Cyberhunt 2026, held at UTAR Kampar Campus on 18 July 2026.

Organised by UTAR’s FICT alongside the UTAR Kampar Cybersecurity Club, the competition saw APU Forensics and Cyber Security Research Centre - Student Section (FSeC-SS) members claim first, second, and third places overall. 

Champion title honours went to team B4by_Sh4rk (Ho Kar Seng, Ivan Chong Chee Ern, and Tong Yi Xin), while team Little White Group (Kayden Ku, Jason Tan, and Wong Yong Sin) took first runner-up, and team 2N2 (Chew Wei Han, Foo Guo Kai, and Ding Chong Sheng) secured second runner-up.

All competitors were Cybersecurity students and members of the FSeC-SS club. Supported by club advisors Assistant Professor Nor Azlina Abd Rahman and Ms Noris Ismail, the teams built their technical foundations under the guidance of CTF module lecturer Mr Shahab Alizadeh.

APU’s Head School of Technology (SoT), Associate Professor Dr Thang Ka Fei commented, “This remarkable achievement reflects the talent and dedication of our students, supported by committed mentors. It reinforces APU’s focus on developing highly competent cybersecurity professionals who are ready to meet real-world challenges.”

Reflecting on their victory, team B4by_Sh4rk expressed their gratitude for securing the top spot. 

The team noted that the road trip from Kuala Lumpur to Kampar set a positive tone for the event, which was further enhanced by the organisers’ seamless execution and quick responses. 

“One of the craziest parts was that teams from APU managed to sweep the podium,” said team member Kar Seng. 

“Seeing all our peers perform so well made the result even more satisfying because it showed how much we had all improved over time. Winning the competition felt incredible, making it one of those CTF experiences that we will remember for a long time.” 

Though B4by_Sh4rk had competed in several CTF events previously, this marked their first championship title. 

Kar Seng attributed the breakthrough to effective task distribution, strong teamwork, and the cumulative experience gained over the past year. 

He added that travelling out of state provided valuable real-world exposure beyond the traditional classroom setting, and confirmed the team planned to enter more competitions in the future.

For first runner-up team Little White Group, the path to the podium was entirely unexpected, as the team only secured a spot in the contest after another entry withdrew, given that universities were limited to five teams each.

“We started off jokingly that we only went for the trip with friends, not expecting to win against all the amazing competitors,” the team shared. 

They also recalled their amusement at the event’s ‘Physical’ challenge category, initialising expecting to run around the campus to locate physical flags. 

“All in all, the competition was really cool and chill. Hopefully, we can return next time and claim first place.”

Second runner-up team 2N2 shared similar sentiments, viewing the journey to Kampar as a memorable mix of competition and camaraderie. 

“This CTF felt a bit different from the usual ones since we had to drive all the way to UTAR Kampar.

“It was like a CTF combined with a short road trip with friends, so we got to compete and relax at the same time.”

They also pointed out the suspense during the final stages of the event, when points were tightly contested and most teams were working through the remaining challenges. 

Finishing in third place capped off what they described as a great experience filled with good vibes and strong teamwork.