Switzerland shines at the European Cyber Security Challenge 2023
The Swiss national team has finished second at the European Hacking Championships in Norway with 28 participants. It is the highest placing for a Swiss national team so far. The young cybersecurity specialists scored points thanks to a consistent performance and their strong strategic skills, remaining composed under pressure.
Team Switzerland has finished the prestigious European Cyber Security Challenge (ECSC) 2023 in Hamar, Norway, in second place, marking a milestone in its participation in international cybersecurity competitions. It is the highest placing ever achieved by a Swiss national hacking team.
The event, which spanned three action-packed days, pitted Europe’s best young cyber talent from 28 countries against each other in a series of complex tasks. Participants had to solve security-related tasks in areas such as web security, mobile security, crypto puzzles, reverse engineering and forensics, earning points for their solutions. The victory went to Team Germany, with Denmark coming in third.
Team Switzerland, which competed under the name “Team /mnt/ain (m0unt41n)” and is made up of a group of the country’s best young hackers and security experts chosen at the Swiss Hacking Challenge, demonstrated remarkable skill and perseverance throughout the competition. It showed a consistent performance, but the decisive factor for the good final result was its strong strategic skills and great composure under pressure. “This victory is not only due to our technical skills,” explains Nicola Bühler, the team captain. “It is equally an expression of how we came together as a team, supported each other and stayed focused under great pressure. I’m proud of every team member.”
Team coach Marc Bollhalder highlighted the significance of the excellent final result, saying, “Second place at ECSC 2023 is a testament to the talent and potential we have in Switzerland in cybersecurity.” He added that the Swiss team’s success will not only serve as an inspiration for budding cybersecurity experts in this country, it also underscores the critical importance of cybersecurity skills in an increasingly digital world and the need for continued investment in this area. “It’s important that we continue to nurture and support these young talents to secure our country’s digital future.”
About the Swiss Hacking Challenge
The Swiss Hacking Challenge (SHC) is Switzerland’s annual national hacking championship. It is organized by the Swiss Cyber Storm association, a non-profit organization that also hosts the annual Swiss Cyber Storm Security Conference. The Swiss national hacking team is ultimately recruited from the SHC’s most successful participants, who compete as Team Switzerland at international tournaments such as the European Cyber Security Challenge (ECSC). The SHC is the official partner of ICT-Berufsbildung Schweiz for qualification in cybersecurity for participation in SwissSkills and WorldSkills.
