Chang Shiau Huei, Yeo Jia Qi, and Hong Yen Wai, the brilliant minds behind SkyJu1c3, masterminded an unexpected double victory, dominated the Hack the Box Hacking Battlegrounds (HTB) challenge, and soared to an impressive second place in the MetaCTF.

Soaring above the competition, a force of cyber wizards known as SkyJu1c3 has conquered the Wicked6 Global Women’s Cyber League Game 2024 Capture the Flag (CTF).

This all-female powerhouse hails from the Forensics and Cyber Security Research Centre (FSeC-SS) at the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU).

APU Cyber Security students Chang Shiau Huei, Yeo Jia Qi, and Hong Yen Wai, the brilliant minds behind SkyJu1c3, masterminded an unexpected double victory.

They dominated the Hack the Box Hacking Battlegrounds (HTB) challenge as champions and soared to an impressive second place in the MetaCTF.

This triumph not only showcases their exceptional cyber skills and strategic thinking but also highlights their commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) values.

SkyJu1c3 not newbies. Last year, they actively honed their skills in competitions like Game of Hackers at UniKL City Campus, PETRONAS Inter-University CTF 2023, Blue Team Cybersecurity Challenge - September 2023 (with KC7), UTAR-FICT CTF Competition 2023, and the 4th International Innovation, Technology & Research Exhibition and Conference (ITREXC2023).

“Those experiences were crucial,” says Shiau Huei. “They equipped us with the diverse abilities needed for the unique challenges of the Wicked6 Global Women’s Cyber League CTF.”

Shiau Huei explained that she took part in this competition last year. Her other team members, in the meantime, are experiencing this for the first time.

From left, Yeo Jia Qi, Hong Yen Wai, and Chang Shiau Huei.

“Everyone learnt something new, for me personally, I learnt more about the web, forensics tools, and more different ways to do OSINT rather than the usual Google Dorking commands and such.”

Shiau Huei also won both the Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu CTF (1st place) and the Haiku CTF (2nd place) solo categories, in addition to the group competition.

The HTB and MetaCTF are no cakewalk. They demand a blend of offensive and defensive strategies within a tight timeframe.

“This gamified environment pushes us to excel in speed, precision, and strategic thinking,” explains Jia Qi.

The experience they acquire in CTF will prepare them for employment.

The lessons learned at APU were not just theory. When faced with challenges, SkyJu1c3 could hear their mentor’ Ms Nor Azlina Abd. Rahman and Ms Noris Ismail’s voices honed SkyJu1c3’s skills and turned them into champions.

“They identified our weaknesses and provided guidance that helped us overcome hurdles,” says Yen Wai.

For the trio, the competition offered valuable new opportunities.

“We expanded our knowledge and gained practical skills that go beyond the classroom. We appreciate APU for offering such opportunities, not just for gaining experience but also for building connections,” they all agreed.