ISEA-ISAP CTF 2026
December 2025–January 2026
Organized by IITM in collaboration with CyStar & exploiitm
Capture The Flag (CTF) Hackathon on Systems & Software Security
ISEA ISAP CTF 2026 is a national-level Capture-the-Flag (CTF) hackathon organized by IIT Madras, in collaboration with the Cybersecurity Club, IIT Madras, as part of the 5th ISEA International Conference on Security and Privacy (ISAP) 2026.
The hackathon focuses on Systems and Software Security and is designed to promote applied cybersecurity learning through hands-on challenges. Participants will engage with realistic problem statements reflecting contemporary security threats, enabling them to develop practical skills and demonstrate technical excellence in cybersecurity
Hackathon Structure
Phase 1
Qualifiers
27–28 December 2025 (24 hours)
Online
- Jeopardy-style online Capture-the-Flag contest
- Open to all eligible student participants
- Top-performing teams will be shortlisted for the onsite finals
Phase 2
Finals
16–18 January 2026
Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai
- Offline CTF conducted as part of the ISEA ISAP 2026 conference
- Advanced challenges with special emphasis on embedded systems and systems security
- Final evaluation based on CTF scoreboard performance
Why Participate?
- Solve real-world cybersecurity challenges in a competitive CTF environment
- Gain hands-on exposure to binary exploitation, reverse engineering, and embedded security
- Participate in a national-level hackathon under the ISEA initiative
- Interact with experts and faculty from IIT Madras
- Compete for exciting cash prizes and certificates
- Showcase your skills during the ISEA ISAP 2026 onsite event at IIT Madras
Tracks & Problem Domains
Participants will compete across multiple cybersecurity domains, including:
- Binary Exploitation
- Reverse Engineering
- Embedded Systems & IoT Security
- Secure Software Systems
- Open Innovation in Cybersecurity
Eligibility & Team Formation
- Open to students from all institutions
- Team size: 2–3 members per team
- Qualified teams must be physically present at IIT Madras for the onsite finals
Accommodation & Travel
Limited accommodation will be available at the IIT Madras hostels and will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Accommodation is for registered CTF participants qualified for the onsite round at IIT Madras only.
- Accommodation will be arranged only through the organizing committee. Direct hostel bookings are not permitted.
- Travel reimbursement will be provided equivalent to the 2nd AC train fare for travel to and from the participant’s base location, subject to submission of valid supporting documents.
Detailed information regarding accommodation allocation will be communicated to eligible participants after the qualifier round.
Evaluation & Certification
- Points-based CTF scoreboard
- Certificates for qualified and finalist participants
- Winners will receive cash prizes
Prize Money
Total Prize Pool: ₹5,00,000/-
Registration
Register here:
Deadline: Friday, 26 December 2025, 11:59 PM IST
Contact Us
For any questions or clarifications, feel free to reach out to us at info@cystar.iitm.ac.in
Affiliates
Sponsors
IDBI Bank
Information Security Education and Awareness, MeitY
Kaspersky
Organizers
IIT Madras
CyStar IITM
