Represent the UK Cyber Team

UK Cyber Team

SANS, in collaboration with the UK Government, offered an exceptional opportunity for young talent aged 18-25 to compete for a place on the UK Cyber Team this January 2025. Over 1,000 players have registered to compete in the Competition to showcase their skills to gain a place representing the UK on the international Capture the Flag stage.

About the competition

The search is over for the UK’s top cyber talent, and the brand-new UK Cyber Team has been formed.

The UK Cyber Team Competition featured three exciting rounds of Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges. The first two rounds took place virtually, followed by a thrilling in-person final.

The top 30 players from the competition earned their place on the UK Cyber Team.

The UK Cyber Team will gain access to training and mentorship from industry experts to help prepare them to take on other cyber security teams around the world.

What is Capture The Flag?

Capture the Flag Challenges, or Capture The Flag Ranges are interactive, hands-on learning exercises, designed to replicate networks, systems, and applications in a safe, isolated environment where individuals and teams can develop their skills and gain experience without compromising a live production environment.

Rise to the challenge

National Capture The Flag competitions are typically aimed at identifying and nurturing local talent in cybersecurity. They are a platform for cyber security students, professionals, and enthusiasts to demonstrate their skills in:

Network security
Cryptography
Web vulnerabilities
Reverse engineering
Other domains relevant to digital security

How it worked

The Competition asked participants to compete their way into the UK Cyber Team across 3 rounds of Capture The Flag

The BootUp!

A series of challenges that test fundamental cyber security skills. The round takes place over two days.

The Bonus CTF

A series of even more advanced challenges to test your skills. This round takes place over a 6 week period, where participants can complete the challenges at their own pace.

The TelNet Capture The Flag

The last challenge, hosted live at the UK Cyber Team Competition final. Played in teams of eight, the TelNet CTF will take the final 200 players on a journey as a Cyber Consultant for TelNet International News. This CTF is an immersive experience of multi-discipline challenges, cloud systems, hardware and badges.

Key dates

Here’s a breakdown of how the competition ran

The UK Cyber Team Competition consisted of three Capture the Flag (CTF) rounds, with the final event taking place in January 2025. The selected UK Cyber Team represents the UK on the international Capture The Flag stage.

2024 Applications

Wed 09 Oct - Wed 20 Nov 2024

Applications were open for six weeks, until 12pm Wednesday 20th November

2024 Round One Complete

Sat 30 Nov + Sun 1 Dec 2024

The BootUp! Capture The Flag was held virtually on these two days.

Round Two

Fri 13 Dec 2024 - Fri 17 Jan 2025

This round took place over a 6 week period, where participants completed the challenges at their own pace

Round Three

Fri 17 Jan + Sat 18 Jan 2025

The top 200 players attended the live final for their last chance to compete for a spot in the UK Cyber Team.

This competition was proudly delivered by

SANS Institute is the most trusted source for cybersecurity training, certifications and research. Launched in 1989 as a cooperative for information security thought leadership, it is SANS’ ongoing mission to empower cyber security professionals with the practical skills and knowledge they need to make our world a safer place.

We fuel this effort with high quality training, certifications, scholarship academies, degree programs, cyber ranges, and resources to meet the needs of every cyber professional. Our data, research, and the top minds in cybersecurity collectively ensure that individuals and organisations have the actionable education and support they need.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) focuses on improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science and technology. DSIT drives innovation that will deliver improved public services, create new better-paid jobs and grow the economy.
CyberFirst is the UK government programme designed to inspire and nurture young people into cyber security careers by offering a range of activities including bursaries, competitions and courses.