Astana IT University teams took first and third places at the international CyberTech CTF 2026 competition
As part of the ICCSDFAI 2026 (International Conference on Cybersecurity, Digital Forensics and AI Applications), the international CyberTech CTF 2026 competition was held, organized by the CyberTech Research and Innovation Center of Astana IT University.
Over the course of three days, participants competed on a specialized online cyber range in the Jeopardy Capture The Flag (CTF) format, solving practical cybersecurity challenges. Student teams from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Türkiye took part in the competition, bringing together representatives of leading universities from across the region on a single international platform.
The CyberTech CTF 2026 program featured challenges in Digital Forensics, Cryptography, Steganography, Web Security, Network Traffic Analysis, Networking Technologies, and other cybersecurity domains. Each challenge had its own difficulty level and corresponding point value. Teams independently developed their strategies, distributed tasks among members, and competed to achieve the highest possible score throughout the event.
Astana IT University was represented by two teams:
FR13NDS TEAM:
Bekzhan Darmenov
Didar Sailauov
Arsen Abdullin
Alibek Akhmetov
Keñes Qūrmet
em1x:
Dinmukhammed Meirambek
Ernur Khuan
Dias Zhumashev
Arsen Nugumanov
Maksat Serikuly
Both teams demonstrated an outstanding level of practical cybersecurity expertise, consistently remaining among the competition leaders throughout all three days thanks to effective teamwork, well-coordinated task distribution, and rapid problem-solving.
At the conclusion of CyberTech CTF 2026, FR13NDS TEAM became the overall champion, securing 1st place and winning the grand prize of USD 3,000. The em1x team also delivered an excellent performance, earning 3rd place and receiving a prize of USD 1,000.
CyberTech CTF 2026 Results:
1st Place — FR13NDS TEAM (Kazakhstan, Astana IT University) — USD 3,000
2nd Place — CSEC_UZ (Uzbekistan) — USD 2,000
3rd Place — em1x (Kazakhstan, Astana IT University) — USD 1,000
The outstanding achievements of both Astana IT University teams highlight the university's strong educational foundation in digital forensics, information systems security assessment, cryptography, reverse engineering, and the practical application of modern cybersecurity technologies.
The success of two university teams at an international competition once again demonstrates the effectiveness of Astana IT University's cybersecurity programs and the high level of students' practical training. Participation in CyberTech CTF 2026 enabled students not only to showcase their professional competencies on the international stage, but also to gain valuable hands-on experience in solving real-world cybersecurity challenges, strengthen their teamwork skills, and expand international collaboration with universities and cybersecurity experts from Central Asia and Türkiye.
Over the course of three days, participants competed on a specialized online cyber range in the Jeopardy Capture The Flag (CTF) format, solving practical cybersecurity challenges. Student teams from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Türkiye took part in the competition, bringing together representatives of leading universities from across the region on a single international platform.
The CyberTech CTF 2026 program featured challenges in Digital Forensics, Cryptography, Steganography, Web Security, Network Traffic Analysis, Networking Technologies, and other cybersecurity domains. Each challenge had its own difficulty level and corresponding point value. Teams independently developed their strategies, distributed tasks among members, and competed to achieve the highest possible score throughout the event.
Astana IT University was represented by two teams:
FR13NDS TEAM:
Bekzhan Darmenov
Didar Sailauov
Arsen Abdullin
Alibek Akhmetov
Keñes Qūrmet
em1x:
Dinmukhammed Meirambek
Ernur Khuan
Dias Zhumashev
Arsen Nugumanov
Maksat Serikuly
Both teams demonstrated an outstanding level of practical cybersecurity expertise, consistently remaining among the competition leaders throughout all three days thanks to effective teamwork, well-coordinated task distribution, and rapid problem-solving.
At the conclusion of CyberTech CTF 2026, FR13NDS TEAM became the overall champion, securing 1st place and winning the grand prize of USD 3,000. The em1x team also delivered an excellent performance, earning 3rd place and receiving a prize of USD 1,000.
CyberTech CTF 2026 Results:
1st Place — FR13NDS TEAM (Kazakhstan, Astana IT University) — USD 3,000
2nd Place — CSEC_UZ (Uzbekistan) — USD 2,000
3rd Place — em1x (Kazakhstan, Astana IT University) — USD 1,000
The outstanding achievements of both Astana IT University teams highlight the university's strong educational foundation in digital forensics, information systems security assessment, cryptography, reverse engineering, and the practical application of modern cybersecurity technologies.
The success of two university teams at an international competition once again demonstrates the effectiveness of Astana IT University's cybersecurity programs and the high level of students' practical training. Participation in CyberTech CTF 2026 enabled students not only to showcase their professional competencies on the international stage, but also to gain valuable hands-on experience in solving real-world cybersecurity challenges, strengthen their teamwork skills, and expand international collaboration with universities and cybersecurity experts from Central Asia and Türkiye.