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Earlier this month, George Mason University’s Department of Cyber Security Engineering (CYSE) sponsored IndyHAX 2026, a hybrid capture-the-flag (CTF) and hackathon event for high schoolers. Designed to combine cybersecurity competition with project-based innovation, the event brought together dozens of high schoolers to test their technical abilities, creativity, and teamwork.
“One of the highlights of the event was witnessing the incredible creativity, technical talent, and innovative thinking demonstrated by the students,” said Associate Professor Mohamed Gebril. “Their solutions and approaches made judging the hackathon both challenging and inspiring.”
During the competition, participants flexed cybersecurity skills such as exploiting vulnerabilities and cracking codes while also developing original projects ranging from AI tools to web applications. The event drew strong participation, with dozens of students forming teams to compete and collaborate.
Beyond sponsorship, George Mason-affiliated participants played active, on-the-ground roles throughout the hackathon. Members of the university’s cybersecurity community, including student volunteers and representatives such as Yassa Ahmad and Sayan Neupane, helped organize, mentor, and judge the competition. Their involvement ensured participants received guidance from individuals already immersed in collegiate-level cybersecurity education. This mentorship proved especially impactful as participants tackled both the CTF challenges and the hackathon. Students demonstrated creativity and technical depth by designing solutions that addressed real-world problems under significant time pressure.
IndyHAX was not only a competition, but also an opportunity to introduce students to cybersecurity pathways and careers. Through direct interaction with George Mason faculty and students, participants gained exposure to academic programs and future opportunities in engineering and computing fields.
As cybersecurity continues to grow in importance across industries, initiatives like IndyHAX serve as a critical pipeline for developing skilled, creative, and motivated talent ready to meet tomorrow’s challenges.