1st International Cybersecurity Olympiad 2025:

The International Cybersecurity Olympiad (ICO) is a global event inspired by renowned competitions such as the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) and the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). The School of Computing at the National University of Singapore (NUS) hosted the inaugural International Cybersecurity Olympiad from 22 to 28 June 2025.

Over 200 participants, including contestants, team leaders, and guests from 28 countries, including Singapore, took part in the first edition of the Olympiad. The Opening Ceremony was held at Auditorium 2, University Town (U-Town), NUS. During the ceremony, Professor Tan Kian Lee, Dean of the School of Computing, NUS, delivered the welcome address. The Guest of Honour, Mr. Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, delivered the keynote speech and officially launched the International Cybersecurity Olympiad 2025. The ceremony also featured team introductions and cultural performances by NUS students, including a traditional lion dance.

The 2025 ICO saw participation from the following countries: Albania, Azerbaijan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Denmark, Ghana, Hong Kong, Israel, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Macau, Mexico, Myanmar, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tunisia, Thailand, Turkey, and Venezuela.

All contestants competed in two days of competition, held on 24 and 26 June 2025. Each contest day featured a 5-hour continuous, open-book Capture the Flag (CTF) challenge, conducted at the COM3 – Multi Purpose Halls, School of Computing, NUS, using the CTFD platform.

In addition to the competition, all participants—including contestants, team leaders, and guests—enjoyed two days of excursion activities, which included visits to Marina Barrage, Gardens by the Bay (Flower Dome & Cloud Forest), Marina Bay Sands SkyPark Observation Deck, Merlion Park and the Universal Studios Singapore, Sentosa Island.

The Closing and Awards Ceremony was held on 26 June 2025 at Auditorium 2, U-Town, NUS, immediately after the second day of the contest. The Guest of Honour for the closing ceremony was Professor Xu Guo Qin, Director of the NUS Suzhou Research Institute. The winners of the two-day contests were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals.

The overall champion team was presented with the ICO 2025 Championship Shield, marking the successful conclusion of the inaugural International Cybersecurity Olympiad.

Our sincere thanks to all our partners and sponsors for their invaluable support in making the International Cybersecurity Olympiad 2025 a resounding success. Your contributions played a vital role in bringing this global event to life and creating an unforgettable experience for all participants.

• Organized by: School of Computing, National University of Singapore.
• Supported by: National Cybersecurity R&D Laboratory (NCL), Centre for Nurturing Computing Excellence (CeNCE) & Singapore International Mastery Contests Center (SIMCC).
• Platinum Industry Sponsor: Shenzhen Dianmao Technology Co., Ltd.
• Gold Government Sponsors: Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), Centre for Strategic Infocomm Technologies (CSIT) & Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau (SECB).
• Gold Industry Sponsor: Jane Street, Singapore.
• Silver Government Sponsor: CyberSG R&D Programme Office (CRPO).

For more information, including ICO 2025 photos, video highlights, and contest results, please visit: https://ico2025.sg/

Online Prelims Contest:

On 1 March 2025, more than 700 students from 18 countries took part in the ICO 2025 Online Preliminary Round,a 3-hour open-book contest designed to test cybersecurity knowledge and skills. The competition was held in two sessions (08:00–11:00 AM and 04:00–07:00 PM SGT) and featured a mix of multiple-choice questions and Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges hosted on the SIMCC contest platform.

Singapore saw strong participation, with 232 students from over 20 schools joining the online contest. Following the prelims, international country partners and teachers selected their top-performing students to represent their nations at the ICO 2025 finals in Singapore. For Singapore team, each participating school nominated their best candidates for the National Cybersecurity Olympiad 2025, which then identified the top 8 students to represent Singapore on the international stage.

National Cybersecurity Olympiad 2025:

The National Cybersecurity Olympiad (NCO) 2025 took place on 19 April 2025, uniting top-performing students from over 20 schools across Singapore. More than 100 students competed in the 4-hour onsite open-book contest held at the School of Computing, NUS (COM3 – Multi Purpose Halls).

Leading up to the event, students received comprehensive training through two full-day online sessions on 5 and 12 April 2025, conducted by the Centre for Strategic Infocomm Technologies (CSIT). These sessions covered Linux, Python, Data Science, Reverse Engineering, Forensics, and Pwn. Additionally, NUS provided recorded training videos on Cryptography and Web Exploitation.

After the intense 4-hour contest, the afternoon segment of NCO 2025 provided students with a valuable platform for learning and connection. A Networking Lunch and Industry Talks offered insights into cybersecurity careers, with speakers from the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), Defence and Intelligence Systems (DIS), and Centre for Strategic Infocomm Technologies (CSIT) sharing their experiences and career advice. Sponsor booths further facilitated engagement and exploration of future opportunities. The event concluded with a celebratory Awards and Closing Ceremony, where 56 students were honoured with gold, silver, and bronze medals, and the top 8 performers were selected to represent Singapore in the ICO 2025 finals.