Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) achieved a double victory at the Intervarsity Cyber Forensics Challenge 2025 organised by MCMC, winning both First Place and First Runner-Up positions and showcasing strong, industry-ready digital forensics and cybersecurity expertise.

Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) delivered an outstanding performance at the Intervarsity Cyber Forensics Challenge 2025, held in conjunction with the Communications and Multimedia Industry Cyber Drill Exercise (NEXSEC) 2025, organised by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

The national-level competition aimed to strengthen cyber readiness, incident response capabilities, digital resilience and digital forensics expertise among university students across Malaysia. 

It commenced with an online qualifying round conducted from 13 to 14 December 2025, where participants were challenged to analyse simulated cyber incidents, apply forensic methodologies and solve complex problems under strict time constraints.

Following a highly competitive qualifying stage involving universities nationwide, only the top ten teams advanced to the Final Round, which was held physically at the MCMC Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Cyberjaya, Selangor.

APU recorded a remarkable achievement, with two teams qualifying for the Final Round and ultimately securing both the First Place and First Runner-Up positions. 

The teams demonstrated exceptional technical proficiency, analytical thinking and teamwork while competing against strong national contenders.

Notably, the APU teams were active members of the Forensic and Cybersecurity Research Centre – Student Section (FSEC-SS), underscoring the centre’s role in cultivating industry-relevant skills in cybersecurity and digital forensics.

Team Bla Bla Bla, comprised Digital Forensics and Cyber Security students Wong Wan Yin, Chai Cheng Xun and Jeremy Phang Kah Chun. 

Reflecting on their experience, Wan Yin explained that the competition adopted a jeopardy-style Capture the Flag (CTF) format with a sole focus on digital forensics. 

“We have participated in many CTF competitions before, but this was the first that focused entirely on forensics,” he said. 

“Our previous experience, combined with strong teamwork and efficient task division, allowed us to streamline our investigations and solve challenges more effectively.”

He added that the competition stood out from typical CTFs due to its emphasis on analysing digital artefacts before attempting the questions.

“It required us to understand the incident as a whole rather than solving isolated tasks. This approach truly mirrored real-world forensic investigations and encouraged a more analytical and investigative mindset,” he shared.

“The experience was extremely rewarding, as it allowed us to apply what we learned in our courses through hands-on practice. It exceeded our expectations, and we would certainly take part in similar competitions again in the future.”

The First Runner-Up team, Forgotten, consisted of Cyber Security students Ong Zi Xuan, Dang Ming Yao and Tan Sin Hong. 

Zi Xuan shared that the competition significantly enhanced their practical skills and resilience. 

“This challenge allowed us to bridge real-life digital forensics with CTF concepts,” he said. 

“We applied memory forensics, log analysis and Linux fundamentals that we had learned in our course modules, which made the experience both meaningful and educational.”

In the final standings, APU emerged as First Place Champion through Team Bla Bla Bla, while Team Forgotten secured the First Runner-Up position, marking an impressive double victory for the university.

The success reflected APU’s strong emphasis on hands-on cybersecurity education, industry-aligned learning and practical digital forensics training. 

The teams were mentored by Ms Nor Azlina Abdul Rahman, Ms Noris Ismail and Mr Mohd. Hanis Jenalis, with strong support from the School of Technology (SoT) under the leadership of Associate Professor Dr Thang Ka Fei, Senior Head SoT. 

Their guidance played a pivotal role in preparing the students for high-impact, real-world cybersecurity challenges.

APU’s achievement at the Intervarsity Cyber Forensics Challenge 2025 further reinforced the university’s commitment to nurturing future-ready cybersecurity and digital forensics professionals capable of addressing evolving digital threats at both national and global levels.