APU hosted IBOH 2025, attracting nearly 600 participants from 11 countries across 190 teams. The new two-stage format — Stage One: Jeopardy and Stage Two: Attack and Defence — tested skill, creativity, and teamwork. APU’s 0s1ntG0dM1ss1ng won the local title, while munch and toh from NUS claimed the international crown, reflecting IBOH’s global reach in shaping the next generation of cyber defenders.

Excitement reached new heights as the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation’s (APU) School of Technology (SoT) hosted the annual showdown that pushes the limits of cyber talent and teamwork in the International Battle of Hackers (IBOH) 2025.

This year’s IBOH continues to inspire and challenge the brightest cyber minds, introducing an exciting new format featuring ‘two stages’ for the very first time — Stage One: Jeopardy, held on 8 November 2025, and Stage Two: Attack and Defence, which will take place on 29 November 2025.

From ASEAN to Euro-Asia, IBOH 2025 drew the best and brightest cyber defenders from 11 countries — Brunei, France, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, and Vietnam — with nearly 600 participants forming 190 teams from 35 universities, all ready to battle for global glory.

APU’s Chief Innovation & Enterprise Officer, Professor Ir EUR ING Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam, took the audience on a journey through the evolution of IBOH, reflecting on how the competition has grown since its inception.

“In 2016, we established the Cyber Security Forensics Centre at APU. Just two years later, it was rebranded as the Cyber Security Talent Zone (CSTZ) and then the APU Forensics and Cyber Security Research Centre - Student Section (FSeC-SS),” he said in his opening remarks.

“From this foundation arose IBOH, a competition aimed at strengthening cyber security capabilities and building resilience across Malaysia. But our objective extends beyond the event itself. We want to nurture a new generation of cyber defenders to protect the nation’s digital landscape.”

Mr Nik Hishamuddin Nik Mohd Yusoff, Head of Digital Talent (Tertiary) at the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), emphasised that IBOH is exactly the kind of event where industry and universities should join forces. 

Drawing inspiration from John F. Kennedy’s famous 1961 inaugural address, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”, he urged industry and participants to give back to the nation.

“In cybersecurity, you must be ‘hungry’ — curious, driven, and open to new ideas — so that you can become future guardians and protectors of the country,” he said.

Mr Gilbert Chu, Chief Operating Officer of LGMS Berhad., shared the industry perspective, highlighting how Malaysia’s cyber security industry has evolved substantially over the last 18 years. 

“Platforms such as IBOH are critical not just in meeting the industry’s demands but also in instilling a desire for continual development and innovation.”

APU alumnus Mr Vikneswaran Kunasegaran, Senior Vice President of Security Assessment at FiRMUS, added a personal perspective, expressing admiration for the university’s remarkable progress. 

“It is inspiring to see how APU now shapes the next generation of cyber security talent,” he said.

Finally, appreciating APU’s decade-long dedication to IBOH, Dato’ Ts Dr Haji Amirudin Abdul Wahab, CEO of CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM), acknowledged that IBOH is one of the most dynamic platforms for nurturing cyber security talent. 

“I congratulate APU and FSEC-SS for ten successful years of organising this event, which has grown from a national initiative into an international benchmark.”

He also announced a collaboration with APU to integrate the Cyber Wise Portal, created by APU student Fawwaz Musaffa, into CSM’s Cybersafe Gallery, the nation’s first cybersecurity gallery recognised by the Malaysian Book of Records.

This initiative is driven by the support of Ms Nor Azlina Abdul Rahman and Ms Noris Ismail, working together with CSM’s Outreach Department to further enhance the Cyber Wise Portal’s development.

“Through this initiative, school students can experience hands-on cyber security education and awareness. Together, we are building ethical, knowledgeable defenders who will secure our digital future.”

The event also featured a book launch — Battle of Hackers: Crime Scene CTF authored by Ms Nor Azlina Abd Rahman, Ms Noris Ismail and Tan Nick Kean and Battle of Hackers: LOLBins Exploitation by Ms Nor Azlina Abdul Rahman, Associate Professor Dr Jalil Md Desa and Professor Ir EUR ING Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam, showcasing their latest contributions to the field.

This was followed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exchange between APU and CSM, a token of appreciation ceremony, and a group photo session to commemorate IBOH 2025.

Inside Stage One: Jeopardy

In the local category, APU’s team 0s1ntG0dM1ss1ng, comprising Ong Zi Xuan, Jerrell Su Ming Jie, and Dang Ming Yao, emerged as Champions, followed by SIGM4xploit from Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) as 1st Runner-Up, and SN33Z1NGB4BY from Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) in 2nd Runner-Up position.

“Winning IBOH 2025 is more than just a victory for our team. It proves that persistence and collaboration can overcome any technical challenge. Each round tested not only our skills but also our creativity and teamwork,” said Zi Xuan.

“This experience pushed us to think like real-world cyber defenders. The thrill of solving each challenge reminded us why we chose this field; to protect and to innovate. 

“We are proud to represent APU on this stage, and the support and guidance from our mentors truly motivated us to push beyond our limits and give our best.”

APU teams T3ST1NG (Ruhan Aidan Amaradasa, Wong Wei Jie, and Ng Zheng Jie) finished fourth, while H3110_W0r1d (Yeo Ying Zhe, Tay Jia Zan, and Akio Niko Caldino) finished ninth.

In the international category, munch and toh from the National University of Singapore (NUS) took the Champion title, followed by Gajah Siber from Institut Teknologi Bandung (1st Runner-Up) and UTC-4 from Can Tho University (2nd Runner-Up). 

The Hokkien Mee is Bred team from APU, comprising Pua Zhen Da, Gan Jing Hwan, and Ong Kai Yin claimed 3rd Runner-Up, while Lasvut (Thiew Shi Han, Ong Wing Xuan, and Lee Zhi Hui) came in 9th place.