CYBER SEA GAME 2026

CYBER SEA GAME 2026

The Rules of the Cyber SEA Game 2026

1. INTRODUCTION

The Cyber SEA Game 2026 (hereinafter referred to as the “Competition”) is operated and managed by the ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Centre (AJCCBC) through Trend Micro Incorporated.

This rule set forth the official rules (hereinafter referred to as the “Rules”) for the Competition.

The Competition will be conducted in accordance with the Rules. The Rules shall rule on any matters not covered herein or in the event that the application of the Rules would result in a significant lack of fairness.

2. OUTLINES OF THE COMPETITION

The Cyber SEA Game is a Capture-the-Flag (CTF)-based capacity building event and competition in which participants compete using various technical knowledge and skills related to cybersecurity. Participants will register individually and solve a series of cybersecurity puzzles and challenges as much as possible as a team. Team points will be accumulated based on the challenges solved by team members. The team with the highest total score at the end of the Competition will be declared the winner.

CTF Categories:

  • Forensics
  • Reverse Engineering
  • Cryptography
  • Steganography
  • Network
  • Web Exploitation

The Competition aims to expose young talent across the ASEAN region to CTF-based cybersecurity competitions while enhancing their cybersecurity knowledge and technical skills. It also helps participants identify their technical strengths and areas for improvement, enabling them to further develop their capabilities and build their overall cybersecurity capacity.

ASEAN Cyber SEA Game 2026

Date and Time: 26 – 27 October (2 days), 2026 from 8:30 to 17:00

Format: On-site at Bangkok, Thailand

Competition Format: Jeopardy

3. ELIGIBILITIES

The following qualifications are required to participate in the Competition. If the AJCCBC determines that an applicant does not meet any of the following qualifications, such applicants will not be allowed to participate in the Competition. No participant shall object to or appeal against the decision of the AJCCBC.

3.1

Participants should individually register through the registration form designated by AJCCBC and agree to the Rules.

3.2

Participants must be under the age of twenty-seven (27) as of the Competition year (must not turn 27 during the Competition year; born on or after 1 January 2000).

3.3

Participants are not involved in the production of CTFs questions.

3.4

Participants are able to receive and response to communications from AJCCBC during the Competition.

3.5

Participants understand and comply with the Rules.

3.6

Participants, including their relatives, shall not be an antisocial force (such as a crime syndicate, a member of a crime syndicate, a quasi-member of a crime syndicate, a corporation related to a crime syndicate, a socially motivated criminal organization, a politically motivated criminal organization, a specially intelligent violent group, or any other similar group) or a person who have any contact or relationship with antisocial forces such as cooperating or being involved in the maintenance, operation or management of antisocial forces thorough provision of funds or other means.

4. HOW TO ENTER

4.1

Participants must be officially nominated by the focal points of each ASEAN Member State.

4.2

Participants must individually register through the application form designated by AJCCBC and provide information as requested.

4.3                                                                                

To participate in the Competition, participants must meet the requirements of above article “3. ELIGIBILITIES”.

4.4

Participants may register only once.

4.5

When participants submit the registration form, participants shall be deemed to have accepted to be bound by the Rules and all the decisions of AJCCBC are final.

5. CTF FORMAT AND METHOD OF DETERMINING WINNERS

5.1

The Competition will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, and will be conducted as a team-based event using the Jeopardy format.

5.2

Team points will be accumulated based on the challenges solved by team members. The team with the highest total score at the end of the Competition will be declared the winner.

6. HARDWARE

6.1

AJCCBC will provide each participant with a laptop for use during the Competition. The laptop will have the software listed in the Whitelist pre-installed. Participants are prohibited from bringing their own laptops.

6.2

During the competition, participants’ mobile devices, smartwatches, smart glasses, and other electronic devices must be stored at a designated area separate from the competition tables. If the use of a mobile device becomes necessary, participants may access it only at the designated storage area and under the supervision of competition officials.

Participants are not permitted to remove mobile devices from the designated storage area within the competition venue during the competition, except in emergencies and with prior approval from the organizers.

6.3

Participants are not permitted to use screen or display filters that obstruct or prevent monitoring by Competition officials.

7. SOFTWARE TOOLS AND AI POLICY

7.1

The use of AI tools is strictly prohibited.

7.2

Any software tools to be used during the Competition must be requested through the form designated by AJCCBC.

7.3

Requested tools must be Open-Source Software (OSS). AJCCBC will review all requests, and approved tools will be consolidated into a whitelist. The organizer’s decision is final.

7.4

All approved tools will be pre-installed on the Competition computers.

7.5

The use of any software tools that have not been requested through the designated form and approved by the organizer is prohibited.

7.6

The use of unapproved tools may result in disqualification.

8. MONITORING

8.1

All participants must share their screens on a country-based Discord sub-channel throughout the Competition.

8.2

Proctors will be present to monitor the Competition and ensure compliance with all Competition rules.

      9. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

      Participants must NOT engage in any of the following activities:

      • Violation of the Rules
      • Actions that violate laws and regulations of Thailand or that are related to criminal activities
      • Infringement of the intellectual property rights, portrait rights, rights of privacy, rights of honor, or any other rights or interests of AJCCBC, other participants, or any other third parties
      • Fraud or threats against AJCCBC, other participants, or third parties
      • Offensive language or behavior toward others (including verbal abuse, slander, insults, coercion, harassment, or any other language or behavior that AJCCBC considers as inappropriate as the language or behavior of a participant in the Competition)
      • Interference with other participants
      • Peeking at other teams’ answers, etc. in whichever manner
      • Providing answers to other teams
      • Obtaining answers, solutions, or other assistance from participants on other teams or from any other individuals, whether or not they are involved in the Competition.
      • Attacks on servers and network systems other than those permitted by the exercise questions
      • Actions that place an excessive burden on the Competition network, server, system, etc.
      • Encouraging other participants to lose, or intentionally losing in response to such encouragement
      • Failure to comply with any instructions or requests by AJCCBC, which are necessary for the progress of the Competition. In addition, acts that may intentionally obstruct or interfere with the operation of the Competition
      • Failing to properly answer questions from the officials of or designated by AJCCBC that are necessary for the event to proceed, or making a false declaration
      • Act of impersonating
      • Causing disadvantage, damage, or discomfort to AJCCBC, other participants, or other third parties
      • Supply of benefits to antisocial forces, etc.
      • Acts that are offensive to public order and morals
      • Directly or indirectly causing or facilitating any of the prohibited acts set forth in this section
      • Attempt to commit any of the prohibited acts set forth in this section
      • Disclosure of any contents of challenges in Cyber SEA Game in publicly accessible space. This includes uploading or posting any contents of challenges to public web / cloud services. (e.g. VirusTotal, UnPHP, etc.)
      • Any other activities that AJCCBC deems inappropriate

      10. PENALTIES

      10.1

      If AJCCBC deems that a participant violates the Rules or any of the prohibitions set forth above, the following actions will be taken:

      * A stern warning will be issued to the Team that violates the rules for the first time.

      * A Team that violates the rules for the second time will be disqualified from the Competition.

      However, if the first violation is deemed particularly egregious, disqualification may occur without warning.

      In addition, if AJCCBC determines that the violation is serious, the participant may be banned from future competitions or suspended from participation.

      10.2

      If a participant is disqualified from the Competition due to a penalty, he/she will be disqualified from winning the prize.

      10.3

      In the event that a participant causes damage to AJCCBC due to a violation of the Rules, AJCCBC may make a legal claim, including a claim for compensation for damages, against the participant.

      11. PRIZES

      11.1

      Participants who play for the top three winning teams in the Competition will be granted a designated winning certificate based on the ranking.

      11.2

      The prize is only available to those who meet all requirements. The participants must provide all necessary information to receive prizes as required by AJCCBC.

      11.3

      If the winner fails to submit the information requested above or if the winner cannot be contacted or confirmed due to such failure, such winner is disqualified as a prize recipient will not be granted.

      12. OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE CTFS

      12.1

      English will be used for questions and announcements during the Competition.

      12.2

      Information and Q/A during the Competition will be provided by the method separately announced on the CTF Platform.

      12.3

      Detailed information regarding the Competition will be provided in the Competition environment on a case-by-case basis.

      13. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

      13.1

      AJCCBC do not warrant, expressly or implicitly, the integrity of the Competition system or any problems that may arise. AJCCBC do not guarantee that the Competition will be free from defects. AJCCBC shall not be liable for any damages incurred by participants.

      13.2

      AJCCBC reserves the right to postpone or suspend the Competition in the event of platform or system trouble or other operational necessity. AJCCBC shall not be responsible or liable for any damages or losses of any kind, including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages arising out of any postponement or interruption of the Competition.

      13.3

      AJCCBC shall not be liable for any trouble between participants or for any damage or losses of any kind, including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages caused by a participant’s violation of the Rules, except in cases where such damage or losses are attributable to instructions or responses of the AJCCBC or others involved in the management of Competition.

      13.4

      AJCCBC shall not be liable for any damages or losses caused to participants or third parties during the Competition for any action or omission made in connection with the Competition, such as infringement of intellectual property rights, theft of ideas, slander, or discrimination.

      14. RIGHTS OF PORTRAIT OR PUBLICITY, AND HANDLING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

      14.1

      By registering, participants agree and consent to AJCCBC using information regarding the strategies and the attributes of the participants for the purpose of improving the Competition and for advertising and publicity of the Competition. In addition, the personal information of participants provided at the time of entry will be used within the scope of the operation of the Competition and publicity related to the Competition.

      14.2

      Participants agree and consent to AJCCBC using their photographs, portraits, names, or usernames on its websites (including, but not limited to, this Website), Facebook, and other media or promotional materials created by AJCCBC or other parties involved in the Competition. However, if a participant does not wish to have their photograph(s) published and notifies AJCCBC accordingly, AJCCBC will not use photographs of that participant. In addition, the participants agree that AJCCBC may use the participant’s personal information as (i) statistical information in a form that does not identify the participant, (ii) for the purpose of providing the prize of the Competition and (iii) providing information about the Competition and other events.

      14.3

      AJCCBC will handle personal information (including images taken during the Competition) in accordance with the AJCCBC Privacy Policy in addition to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

      15. CONFIDENTIALITIES

      Any information regarding the Competition system of which the participants will be exposed or will learn during the Competition shall remain confidential, and the participants shall not disclose it to any third party for any reason whatsoever.

      16. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

      16.1

      All matters relating to the Competition and the Rules shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Thailand.

      16.2

      Any dispute arising out of this Competition and the Rules shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of Thailand.

      17. MODIFICATIONS OF THE RULES

      17.1

      AJCCBC reserves the right to change the Rules at any time without any notice.

      17.2

      Any changes to the Rules will be posted on the Website and will become effective immediately.

      18. CONTACT INFORMATION

      The following email address is for any inquiry or arrangements related to the Centre’s activities. Email: [email protected]

      19. ENACTED AND REVISED ON

      Enacted on 5 August 2026

      Powered by AJCCBC

      End