After an intense 6-hour competition featuring sophisticated APT attack scenarios, we're proud to announce the results of the inaugural Best Security Cyber Defense Encounter. The $RootedReapers team has emerged as the Top Defenders of 2025, demonstrating exceptional skill across all evaluation criteria and setting a new standard for elite cyber defense.
🏆 Top Defenders of 2025
Competition Performance Analysis
The competition featured two scoring components: automated competition points based on technical achievements, and judge points reflecting expert evaluation of methodology, documentation, and collaboration.
Top 10 Teams Performance
Score Distribution Analysis
Complete Results Leaderboard
All 47 teams demonstrated exceptional cybersecurity skills. Here are the complete results:
Key Performance Insights
Analysis of the competition results reveals several interesting patterns:
Score Range
Total scores ranged from 43 to 136 points, demonstrating the challenging nature of the APT scenarios presented.
Balanced Scoring
The top teams excelled in both technical execution (competition points) and professional methodology (judge points).
Close Competition
The top 10 teams were separated by only 40 points, highlighting the elite level of all participants.
Judge Recognition
Judge scores ranged from 11 to 46 points, with the highest scores going to teams with exceptional documentation and collaboration.
Award Category Winners
In addition to the overall Top Defenders recognition, our expert judge panel awarded the following category-specific honors:
Best Detection Accuracy
$RootedReapers
Demonstrated exceptional precision in identifying and classifying APT tactics with minimal false positives.
Fastest Response Time
The Log Lords
Achieved the quickest mean time to detection and most efficient incident containment procedures.
Excellence in Documentation
Breach Blockers
Provided the most comprehensive and actionable incident reports with exceptional evidence preservation.
Best APT Attribution
BadHash Busters
Most accurate identification of APT group TTPs with detailed threat intelligence correlation.
Best Team Collaboration
BlueShell Protocol
Demonstrated exceptional teamwork and communication throughout the 6-hour challenge.
Innovation Award
Intrusion Analysts United
Showcased creative problem-solving approaches and novel threat hunting methodologies.
Judge Panel Statement
This competition wasn't just about technical skill — it was about responding to adversary behavior rooted in reality. The simulated campaigns closely mirrored the tactics we've observed from Russian and Chinese APT groups in the wild.
— Andrew Hural, MDR/IR Director, UnderDefense
The teams that stood out weren't just technically skilled — they demonstrated the ability to prioritize, communicate, and stay aligned with the bigger mission. That's exactly what we need in real-world cybersecurity operations.
— Matthew Sciberras, CISO, Invicti
Competition Highlights
The 6-hour competition featured multiple sophisticated attack scenarios:
- Russian APT Simulation: Teams faced a multi-stage attack chain mimicking Cozy Bear tactics
- Chinese State-Sponsored Scenario: Advanced persistent threat simulation based on APT1 methodologies
- Cross-Platform Detection: Challenges spanned Splunk, Elastic, and QRadar environments
- Real-Time Pressure: Live attack progression required immediate response and adaptation
- Documentation Under Fire: Teams maintained detailed incident reports while actively defending