Jaga the STACK – GovTech’s cybersecurity competition is back and bigger than ever!

Fancy yourself a cybersecurity warrior? Then, you’ll have lots to get excited about in the final months of 2022 as GovTech’s cybersecurity competition returns!

STACK the Flags – which attracted over 1,400 participants in 2020 – is back, and GovTech will also be organising STACK the Codes, the first-ever cybersecurity hackathon by the government where the best teams not only stand to win cash prizes but also the chance to build fully functional proofs of concept under the mentorship of GovTech’s Cyber Security Group!

What can you expect at STACK the Codes?

While traditional hackathons usually take place over one to two days, STACK the Codes gives competitors 30 days to ideate and develop Minimum Viable Products, or MVPs. Comprising two rounds in October and November, teams will gain unique insights into cybersecurity threats the public sector faces and develop novel solutions in areas such as Red Teaming, Blue Teaming, Policy Planning, and Operations. The event aims to uncover potential talent that can help bolster the public sector’s cybersecurity workforce.

What’s new about STACK the Flags 2022?

Fans of Capture-the-Flag competitions should look out for STACK the Flags 2022. It will commence in December after the conclusion of STACK the Codes, and participants will get to showcase their “offensive” cybersecurity skills across 11 cybersecurity domains. Teams that can capture the most flags after 48 hours will emerge as the victors.

Calvin Fong and Sean Seah, who finished among the top five teams in the Open and JC & ITE categories respectively at STACK the Flags 2020, shared that they found the puzzles challenging and engaging. They also commended the competition for its fast, responsive support and stable infrastructure that enabled participants to fully enjoy the experience.

In 2022, the organising team seeks to enhance competitors’ experience by not only increasing the level of difficulty, but to also create challenges that are more technically interesting.

Show me the money!

No competition is complete without the allure of the prizes. STACK the Codes and STACK the Flags offer cash prizes of over SGD $90,000 to the best teams.

What’s more, there is an added incentive for participants of STACK the Codes: teams can earn a six-month mentorship with GovTech’s Cyber Security Group to build prototypes for cybersecurity programmes. As most hackathons lack follow-up, many great ideas are neglected after the competition concludes. GovTech hopes to avoid this by ensuring that it continues to engage winning teams to create a workable solution.

This presents the perfect opportunity for professionals and enthusiasts alike to work with real-world experts on a real-world problem.

Best of both worlds!

By introducing these two competitions, Jaga the STACK will not just test “offensive” skills but also solution development.

Sean is looking forward to this year’s edition. Beyond the prize money, he believes the “gamified” framework adds fun to learning new concepts. With just six months of experience in other competitions under his belt before joining STACK the Flags 2020, he said the event was “life-changing” as it convinced him to continue pursuing cyber security.

Calvin and his team also had a great time and strongly encouraged his friends to take part this year. “The competition is a good chance for them to showcase skills they’ve learnt in and out of school. The challenges were rewarding, and this would be a good chance for students like us to gain more exposure in the field.”

Competition dates:

STACK the Codes Hackathon: 7 Oct to 15 Nov 2022

STACK the Flags: 2 to 4 Dec 2022