SRM Institute Wins UST’s GenCyS 2025 National Cybersecurity Challenge

In a high-stakes battle of next-gen cyber talent, UST wrapped up the 2025 edition of its national cybersecurity challenge, GenCyS (Generation Cyberstars), with SRM Institute of Science and Technology clinching the top spot.

UST Crowns Cyber Champs

The Capture the Flag (CTF) finale, hosted at UST’s campus in Thiruvananthapuram, brought together the top 50 shortlisted teams from an initial pool of more than 1,000 student and early-career professionals across India.

SRM’s Winning Edge

The three-member SRM team showcased exceptional skill across real-world problem domains—cryptography, reverse engineering, web security, network analysis, and IoT vulnerabilities. Their stellar performance earned them a ₹1.5 lakh cash prize and a conditional job offer from UST, highlighting the competition’s mission to spot and nurture India’s brightest cybersecurity minds.

The second and third places went to Tata Consultancy Services and Poornima University, respectively.

More Than Just a Contest

Aligned with National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, GenCyS 2025 went beyond being just a competition—it acted as a platform for capability discovery, peer learning, and industry integration. UST’s Cyberproof team, a leading cybersecurity solutions provider, designed the technical challenges and architecture that made the event a true test of cyber resilience.

UST’s Vision for Cyber Talent

Speaking at the finale, Alexander Varghese, COO of UST, emphasized the importance of nurturing cybersecurity skills:

“In an age of rapidly evolving digital threats, investing in cybersecurity talent is no longer optional—it’s foundational. GenCyS is our commitment to developing a resilient, future-ready cyber workforce.”

Now in its third edition, GenCyS continues to expand its scope, incorporating emerging threat vectors and new technologies, reflecting UST’s larger talent development strategy that fuses academic outreach with real-world challenges.

With GenCyS 2025 concluded, UST has once again reaffirmed its role as a talent enabler and innovation leader in India’s evolving technology ecosystem.

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