Cybersecurity Reaches Climax in Final Lightning CTF Battle at 2025 Technology Olympiad

Tehran, Iran – The final individual “Lightning Capture the Flag” challenge at the 2025 Technology Olympiad was held on October 29 at the Iran International Innovation District (IIID), bringing together 64 of the nation’s top cybersecurity specialists in an intense, single-elimination format with one-hour rounds.

Contest host Mohammad Hossein Doroudian explained that participants faced each other in head-to-head matches over six main rounds, with winners advancing and losers eliminated until a single champion was crowned. While modeled after the team CTF format, this individual event featured no direct cyberattacks between players; instead, both contestants faced identical technical challenges, racing to solve them and capture the security flags in the shortest possible time.

The competition began at 10:00 a.m. and continued until the final round determined the champion. Cash prizes were awarded to the top eight finishers, with the ultimate champion earning the title of best individual CTF competitor at the Olympiad.

This high-pressure event showcased speed, precision, and problem-solving under tight time constraints, adding a dramatic finale to the Olympiad’s cybersecurity segment.