In response to the national cybersecurity strategy and to accelerate the promotion of cybersecurity technological innovation and talent cultivation, the Macau regional final of the 5th “Pengcheng Cup” Federated Cyber Range Collaborative Attack and Defense Competition was recently held at the Taipa Campus of The City University of Macau.
This competition is jointly organized by Pengcheng Laboratory, the China Cyberspace Security Talent Education Forum, the China Cyberspace Emerging Technology Security Innovation Forum, and the China Education Cyber Range Forum, with The City University of Macau as co-organizer. Closely aligned with the national cybersecurity strategic deployment, it provides an important platform for discovering and cultivating实战-type (practical, combat-oriented) cybersecurity talent in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, while enhancing young people’s sense of responsibility and mission in safeguarding national cyberspace security.
As one of the most influential top-tier practical competitions in the domestic cybersecurity field, the event features a unique federated cyber range collaborative mode and realistic attack-defense scenarios. It incorporates characteristic scenarios from more than 20 key information infrastructure sectors, including energy, finance, transportation, water resources, municipal services, telecommunications, and government. The competition innovatively introduces mechanisms such as collaborative attack and defense, red-blue confrontation, and remote participation. Participating teams and industry experts engaged in in-depth discussions on federated cyber range technology and ecosystem development, showcasing the latest achievements of various sub-range units in cyber range construction.
During the competition, teams were required to launch precise penetration attacks through high-intensity real-network confrontation to capture “Flags” for points and submit detailed penetration testing reports, fully demonstrating their comprehensive abilities in vulnerability discovery, exploit defense, strategic analysis, and team collaboration.
Among them, the “火鳥蝦醬粉絲煲” (Firebird Shrimp Paste Vermicelli Pot) team from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology stood out in both report writing and actual combat performance, displaying profound theoretical foundation and practical skills. The “W4terDr0p” team from Sun Yat-sen University closely followed in the practical phase, demonstrating tenacious competitive spirit. The two teams ultimately won first and second place respectively in the Macau regional final.
The organizing committee stated that, in the context of the rapid development of artificial intelligence and big data technologies, proactively building a secure and clean cyberspace and cultivating “white-hat” defenders capable of protecting the nation’s digital territory holds unprecedented strategic significance.
The hosting of this competition marks a key step forward for The City University of Macau in promoting industry-education integration, combining competitions with training, and supplying fresh talent to the national cybersecurity cause. It not only honed students’ practical cybersecurity technical capabilities but also fostered deep exchanges and cooperation among institutions in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau region in cybersecurity education, research, and practice, injecting strong momentum into the construction of a regionally integrated cybersecurity talent cultivation ecosystem.
