In recent years, cybersecurity has become one of the most prominent and talent-scarce fields
in the information technology sector. Offensive and defensive cybersecurity, in particular, will
be a key future demand for industry professionals. This has led to the rise of positions such
as “Penetration Tester,” “Ethical Hacker,” and “Red Team and Blue Team Operator.” These
roles require a deep understanding of hands-on technical skill such as programming,
cryptography, application systems’ security, reverse engineering, and etc. The mindset and
techniques akin to those of hackers will also be the elements in order to quickly identify and
remediate security vulnerabilities.

Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions are designed to train these specific skills and mindsets.
Participants must find hidden vulnerabilities in a simulated environment based on real
systems to break through security defences. Upon success, they capture “flags” and earn
points. Such competitions are held worldwide to enhance security techniques, with some
even featuring global rankings to compete for the title of the best in the world. 

“HKCERT Capture The Flag 2025,” organised by the Digital Policy Office (DPO), the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT), is now in its sixth edition. It is one of the largest cybersecurity competitions in Hong Kong, featuring four categories: Secondary School, Tertiary, Open, and International.

In addition to the competition, the event includes various workshops and sharing sessions.
Through these TechEd (technology education) activities, students can learn skills such as
programming, cryptography, and digital forensics, fostering creative thinking and preparing
them for the future. Industry professionals can also use this opportunity to test their skills,
train their cybersecurity teams and connect with ethical hacker communities worldwide,
delving deeper into cybersecurity to become experts in the field.

Last year, the competition attracted over a thousand participants and received widespread acclaim. This year, new challenge categories and formats have been introduced, promising an even more exciting and intense experience.