The School of Computing and Technology of Wisconsin International University College, Ghana, marked a significant milestone by hosting the Cybersecurity Hackathon Challenge under the theme “Capture the Flag” a six-hour, non-stop ethical hacking competition that took cybersecurity education to a new level.
The event was held on the university’s main campus and brought together cybersecurity enthusiasts, students, and professionals for an intensive and impactful challenge, which was witnessed by key stakeholders like the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), who also served on the panel of judges.
A representative from the Cyber Security Authority, Mr. Isaac Adu Amaning, lauded the university and its students for hosting a “highly innovative, mentally stimulating, and practically impactful event.” He noted that initiatives like these are essential to preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.
Delivering the welcome address, Mr. Jacob Fynn, Chief Operating Officer of Wisconsin International University College, Ghana, expressed appreciation to the organisers, the Cyber Security Authority, and all participants. He commended the efforts of the School of Computing and Technology for leading such a transformative initiative.
The hackathon was initiated by Mr. Dunstan Dubah, Lecturer, Cybersecurity Analyst, and event organizer. In his remarks, he highlighted the university’s commitment to staying ahead of cybercrime in West Africa. He noted that Wisconsin International University College, Ghana is currently the only private institution in the sub-region equipped with state-of-the-art cybersecurity and digital forensics laboratories, and also offers MSc programmes in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics making learning both practical and cutting-edge.
The competition challenged students to ethically hack and secure deliberately compromised systems, simulating real-world scenarios of cyber vulnerabilities. These systems were expertly designed by members of the university’s cybersecurity team: Mr. Terrance Adams, Mr. Dickson Apaka, and Mr. Dunstan Dubah.
The event began with 25 teams, comprising 118 students. Competing teams included:
Team Fearless, Fire Team, BlackArrow, EagleEye, Hacktrio, CODERED, Geesport, HackShield, Exploit Hunters, Zero-Day, WAGST RT, Exploiters, METATRON, Script Invaders, RootRebels, RootForce X, VenomX, Lebrecht, COY, Nova, TeamByte, DarkHalo Unit, Sniff Squad, Cyclone Security, and Bug Bounty Bandits.
At the end of the thrilling challenge, Team Script Invaders emerged as the overall winner, scoring 292 out of 300 points. Their success was attributed to their speed, smart execution, and strong team coordination. The grand prize for the winning team was $2,000 worth of cybersecurity equipment.
This event underscores Wisconsin International University College, Ghana’s hands-on, practical approach to education, setting a new benchmark for cybersecurity training in West Africa.
