Connect with us

Technology

“HKCERT Capture The Flag 2024” Concludes Successfully with Record Participation, Gathering Top Global Teams in Hong Kong, Nurturing Future Cyber Security Talent

Published

2 years ago

on

HONG KONG, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) in collaboration with the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT), and Digital Policy Office of the HKSAR Government, successfully hosted the “HKCERT Capture the Flag Challenge 2024” (CTF Challenge) on 20-21 January. The event attracted over record-making 1,300 participants from renowned teams across the Chinese Mainland, other parts of Asia, Europe, and the United States, setting. Since 2020, HKCERT has organised the CTF Challenge for five consecutive years, expanding its scale annually and becoming one of the most influential cyber security events in Hong Kong.

Mr. Edmond LAI, Chief Digital Officer of HKPC said, “The CTF Challenge aims to provide an international platform for exchange, enhancing participants’ cyber security skills comprehensively and nurturing future cyber security talent for Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. With the rise of emerging technologies such as AI and big data, cyber security has become a critical issue. These emerging technologies could potentially be used by hackers, making the cultivation of ‘ethical hackers’ increasingly important. We look forward to seeing more emerging cyber security stars shine on the CTF stage and become the backbone of the cyber security field, further solidifying the foundation for the city’s digital transformation.”

Mr. Daniel CHEUNG, JP, Deputy Commissioner (Digital Infrastructure), Digital Policy Office, presented the awards jointly with Mr. Lai to the winners and said, “The CTF Challenge not only recognises the participants’ remarkable achievements and talent in both offensive and defensive cyber security, but also provides a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and networking. The Digital Policy Office will continue to encourage the information technology sector to actively support cyber security talent development, with a view to addressing the increasingly complex cyber landscape, and collectively promoting Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology hub.”

Elites Showdown to Advance Global Cyber Security Collaboration

This year, the CTF Challenge saw over 1,000 participants for the third consecutive year, with 149 overseas teams registering, including two guest teams from the Chinese Mainland and two teams known as the “United Nations Team,” competing on the same stage, further strengthening talent exchange and collaboration in cyber security. One international team is ranked among the world’s top 50, and another has claimed seven global CTF championships. The CTF Challenge has received industry acclaim for five consecutive years, with its rating on the internationally renowned CTF competition platform CTFTime steadily rising for four years, proving its increasing recognition and influence in the global CTF community.

Three local teams and one team from the Chinese Mainland won the finals, capturing gold in the secondary school, tertiary, open, and international categories. The “Best School Award” was won by Diocesan Boys’ School in Hong Kong. For the full list of winners and more information about the event and competition details, please visit the CTF Challenge 2024 website.

The international champion team, r4kapig, stated, “This competition provided us with valuable learning and practical opportunities, exposing us to many new knowledge areas and attack-defense techniques. It was our first time competing in Hong Kong, with members from Guangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Chengdu. The event adopted a hybrid model, offering an excellent exchange platform, allowing us to engage in in-depth technical exchanges and share experiences with Hong Kong and international players. In the future, we will consider pursuing careers in the cyber security industry and continue to delve into this field.”

Diverse Activities to Nurture Local Cyber Security Talent

Following the CTF Challenge, a seminar was held, inviting several cyber security experts to discuss hot topics such as how cyber defense exercises can complement traditional security testing, security risks and considerations in AI applications, and the latest trends in cyber threats. They also provided career advice for young people aspiring to enter the IT industry. The event was sponsored by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and OffSec, offering participants the chance to win online cyber security courses sponsored by OffSec, the course covers basic offensive and defensive techniques, networking, scripting, application and operating system security, and business-related skills.

Note: The CTF Challenge has four categories: secondary school, tertiary, open, and international. The top five teams in each category from the preliminary round held in November last year advanced to the finals, making a total of 20 elite teams, including 15 local secondary school, tertiary, and open teams, and five internationally renowned CTF teams from Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

About Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre

Managed by the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT) is the centre for coordination of computer security incident response for local enterprises and Internet Users. Its missions are to facilitate information dissemination, provide advice on preventive measures against security threats, and promote information security awareness. 

HKCERT collaborates with local bodies to collect and disseminate information, and coordinate response actions. HKCERT is also a member of the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) and the Asia Pacific Computer Emergency Response Team (APCERT). We exchange information with other CERTs and act as a point of contact for cross-border security incidents. 

For more information, please visit HKCERT’s website: www.hkcert.org

About Hong Kong Productivity Council

The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is a multi-disciplinary organisation established by statute in 1967, to promote productivity excellence through relentless drive of world-class advanced technologies and innovative service offerings to support Hong Kong enterprises. As a nationwide leader in innovative, market-driven research and development (R&D) internationally, specialising in leading technologies and all-rounded manufacturing services, HKPC promotes new industrialisation in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area and facilitates the development of new productive forces, leveraging innovation and technology (I&T), as well as bolstering Hong Kong to be an international innovation and technology centre and a smart city. The Council offers comprehensive innovative solutions for Hong Kong industries and enterprises, enabling them to achieve resources and productivity utilisation, effectiveness and cost reduction, and enhance competitiveness in both local and overseas marketplace. The Council partners and collaborates with local industries and enterprises and world-class R&D institutes to develop applied technology solutions for value creation. It also benefits a variety of sectors through product innovation, technology transfer, and commercialisation, bringing enormous business opportunities ahead. HKPC’s world-class R&D achievements have been widely recognised over the years, winning an array of local and overseas accolades.

In addition, HKPC offers SMEs and startups immediate and timely assistance in coping with the ever-changing business environment, and strengthens talent nurturing and Hong Kong’s competitiveness with FutureSkills training for enterprises and academia to enhance digital capabilities and STEM competencies.

For more information, please visit HKPC’s website: www.hkpc.org/en.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/hkcert-capture-the-flag-2024-concludes-successfully-with-record-participation-gathering-top-global-teams-in-hong-kong-nurturing-future-cyber-security-talent-302358309.html

SOURCE Hong Kong Productivity Council

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Technology

HKAGE Showcases Gifted Students’ Learning Journeys at InnoCarnival 2026

Published

2 hours ago

on

October 24, 2026

By

Promoting “Technology for Good” Through Innovation and Creativity 

HONG KONG, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) has been invited to participate in InnoCarnival 2026, organised by the Innovation and Technology Commission. Under the theme “Technology for Good, Innovation for All”, HKAGE will showcase the learning journeys of gifted students who have completed programmes on AI robotic arms, underwater archaeology, etc., demonstrating how technology can be harnessed to address societal needs.

Having proactively aligned its work with the education development strategies of the Education Bureau (EDB), HKAGE fully supports the EDB’s Blueprint for Digital Education in Primary and Secondary Schools, which seeks to advance the digital transformation of school education in Hong Kong. Building on its Talent Development Model, HKAGE systematically develops programmes, provides diversified learning experiences and engages in cross-sector collaborations to nurture gifted talents equipped with innovative capabilities, technological literacy, and a strong sense of social responsibility. At the exhibition this year, HKAGE will present how students applied knowledge gained through gifted education programmes and learning experiences in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, environmental science, underwater archaeology and sustainable development to design socially conscious solutions. These experiences reflect the students’ ability to serve society with knowledge and respond creatively to diverse challenges.

Among the highlights is the learning journey of students in the “Artificial Intelligence Course: Creative AI Robotic Arm for Inclusion”. After acquiring foundational knowledge in artificial intelligence, robotics and sensor applications, students designed, tested and refined intelligent robotic arm prototypes through real-time data analysis and algorithms. With the aim of improving the quality of life for the elderly and caregivers, students explored various application scenarios for intelligent robotic arms. Another showcase features the “Environmental Science Course: Bat Echoes – Voices of the Night”. Through acoustic monitoring, the exhibition demonstrates how students recorded bat voices and analysed related activity data and characteristics. The programme enabled students to gain a deeper understanding of local biodiversity and explore practical approaches to ecological conservation.

The HKAGE exhibition booth also features an interactive photo-taking device, allowing visitors to take photos with different gifted programme themes and share the joy of learning.

On the first day of the exhibition, a “Build Your Own Glider Parent-Child Workshop” is specially organised by HKAGE for the visitors. Under the guidance of instructors and assisted by HKAGE students, participants will learn the basic principles of aerodynamics, including lift, gravity, thrust and drag. They will also learn to design, assemble and decorate their own gliders by using lightweight and durable materials, experiencing the joy of science and engineering.

Mr WONG Chung Po, Acting Executive Director of HKAGE, said: “The Academy is committed to providing gifted students with diversified learning platforms and encouraging them to transform knowledge into innovative practices that generate positive social impact. Participation in this exhibition not only provides students with a valuable learning experience that helps consolidate the knowledge acquired in gifted programmes, but also enables the public to better understand how gifted education nurtures a new generation of creative and socially responsible talents to jointly advance the philosophy of ‘Technology for Good’.”

InnoCarnival 2026 – The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education

Date：

24 Oct – 1 Nov

Venue：

The Hong Kong Science Park

Booth：

C08-09

Time：

10:00 – 17:00 (Mon to Fri)

10:00 – 18:00 (Sat & Sun)

 

About the HKAGE

Established in 2008 and subvented by the Education Bureau, the HKAGE offers gifted education services actively to local primary and secondary school students to unleash their potential. It also provides gifted education-related information and support for teachers, parents, and other relevant stakeholders.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/hkage-showcases-gifted-students-learning-journeys-at-innocarnival-2026-302918606.html

SOURCE Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education

Continue Reading

Technology

LEAP Group Relaunches HumanView, a Growth Intelligence System Built to Explain Why Customers Behave the Way They Do

Published

9 hours ago

on

October 24, 2026

By

Reimagined from the ground up, HumanView pairs statistical modeling with expert analysts to turn millions of real-world customer signals into business decisions

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LEAP Group today announced the relaunch of HumanView, its growth intelligence service. The new version has been rebuilt from the ground up and now has a dedicated home at leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

HumanView analyzes what customers say and do across social platforms, e-commerce sites, review platforms, search behavior and user-generated content, including signals from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, Amazon and Walmart+ that general AI tools cannot always access. Because the data reflects unprompted, real-world behavior, it avoids the response bias built into surveys and focus groups.

The service works in three layers. HumanView captures signals at scale, decodes millions of records through validated statistical models such as regression, correlation and clustering, and then relies on experienced analysts to interpret the patterns. Clients receive clear, human-validated insights instead of another dashboard.

“Machines find the patterns. Humans find the point,” said Alan Gilleo, CEO at LEAP Group. “The first version of HumanView showed us how much customers reveal when nobody is asking them questions. This version is built to explain why they act the way they do, and to put those answers in front of everyone making decisions, from product to service to marketing.”

HumanView focuses on three areas:

Growth Intelligence: customer motivations and how people perceive a brand and its competitors

Market and Category Intelligence: product pain points, service friction, unmet needs and competitive gaps

Audience Intelligence: new segments, positioning opportunities and gaps in the market

Every model is designed and validated by data scientists and benchmarked before it informs a recommendation.

To learn more about HumanView, visit leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

About LEAP Group
LEAP Group is a boutique marketing agency holding company with offices in Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Chicago. Guided by the belief that brands should “Market Less. Matter More.,” LEAP gives clients access to specialized experts across its entire network. Learn more at leapgroupnetwork.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leap-group-relaunches-humanview-a-growth-intelligence-system-built-to-explain-why-customers-behave-the-way-they-do-302918557.html

SOURCE LEAP Group

Continue Reading

Technology

STEPHEN A. SMITH ADDRESSES WHITE HOUSE DINNER ATTENDANCE, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO HBCUs AND PROTECTING CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN BLACK EDUCATION

Published

10 hours ago

on

October 24, 2026

By

NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stephen A. Smith, media mogul, New York Times bestselling author, and proud 1991 graduate of Winston-Salem State University, is addressing the public discussion surrounding his decision to attend a White House dinner with President Donald Trump, emphasizing his commitment to the long-term financial stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For Smith, the decision was rooted in a commitment to institutions that have educated generations of Black leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and public servants.

“I will always advocate for HBCUs and the students whose futures depend on them,” Smith said. “My reason for attending the White House dinner was to discuss the challenges these institutions face in securing long-term funding and to make the case that corporate America must continue to invest in them.”

Smith acknowledged federal support through the FUTURE Act while expressing concern that political tensions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could discourage private companies from supporting HBCUs. He maintains that these institutions deserve sustained corporate partnerships, philanthropic contributions, and public investment.

“If we truly believe in free-market capitalism, businesses should be able to support educational institutions and charitable causes without fear of criticism or repercussions,” Smith said. “HBCUs have made extraordinary contributions to this country. They deserve sustained public and private investment.”

Ashley Christopher, Esq., Founder and CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, recognized Smith’s advocacy and decision to engage with the administration.

“Stephen A. Smith has been a powerful advocate for HBCUs, using his platform and influence to shine a national spotlight on our institutions,” expressed Christopher, “His continued support of HBCU Week helps advance our mission of connecting students with life-changing educational opportunities, and we are proud to have him as our ambassador.”

Since Smith became an HBCU Week Ambassador in 2019, the initiative has facilitated more than 15,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and raised and awarded more than $150 million in scholarships, according to the HBCU Week Foundation.

As public discussion continues, Smith is emphasizing the importance of ensuring HBCUs have the resources and partnerships needed to educate future generations and expand opportunities for students.

CLICK HERE to watch Smith’s full response to his White House visit.

MEDIA CONTACT:

media@mrsasinc.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stephen-a-smith-addresses-white-house-dinner-attendance-reaffirms-commitment-to-hbcus-and-protecting-corporate-investment-in-black-education-302918547.html

SOURCE Straight Shooter Media

Continue Reading

Trending