In a historic first, Pakistani cybersecurity teams participated in the prestigious Black Hat Middle East and Africa (MEA) Capture the Flag (CTF) competition held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from November 14th to 16th, 2023.
Six teams, selected from the finalists of Ignite’s Digital Pakistan Cybersecurity Hackathon 2021 and 2022, represented Pakistan among 250 teams from around the world. The Ignite-sponsored teams, AirOverflow, Gryffins, and Sudoers, displayed impressive skills, securing the 27th, 32nd, and 33rd positions respectively.
This marks a significant milestone for Pakistan’s cybersecurity landscape. Black Hat events, known for bringing together leading industry professionals and featuring cutting-edge security talks and competitions, provided a valuable platform for these Pakistani teams to gain international CTF experience and showcase their talent.
“This is a great opportunity for our teams to learn from the best and prepare for even better results in the future,” said a representative from Ignite. “We are proud to support Pakistani cybersecurity talent and see them compete on the global stage.”
The participation of Pakistani teams is a testament to the growing strength of the country’s cybersecurity expertise. This successful debut paves the way for future participation and potentially even higher rankings in upcoming Black Hat events.
