TexSAW 2025 Brings Cybersecurity Enthusiasts Together for Hands-On Challenges and Global Competition

The 14th Annual Texas Security Awareness Week (TexSAW’25) brought together cybersecurity enthusiasts from around the world and across The University of Texas at Dallas campus for a hybrid experience combining in-person workshops with an internationally ranked online Capture the Flag (CTF) competition. Hosted by the UT Dallas Computer Security Group (CSG) and overseen by Dr. Kamil Sarac and Dr. Kangkook Jee, UT Dallas computer science professors and cybersecurity experts, this year’s event saw record-breaking participation and a broad range of technical activities that immersed students in real-world cybersecurity skills.

The online CTF competition attracted 1,355 unique participants from around the world, with 791 teams successfully solving 45 challenges in various areas, including cryptography, forensics and web exploitation. The competition was recognized with a CTF time weight of 31, with a projected increase to 41, reflecting its growing reputation in the international cybersecurity community.

Thanks to their strong performance in the event, UT Dallas’s CTF team earned 62 ranking points, placing them12th in the United States. “Hackathons provide students with an opportunity to gain hands-on cybersecurity experience outside the classroom,” said Nick Donovan of the UT Dallas Computer Security Group (CSG) in an interview with Yubico. “Events like TexSAW invert the standard approach used by several universities that may not have practical cybersecurity training. These events prepare students to start a successful career in the field.”

The in-person portion of TexSAW spanned three days and welcomed 89 attendees from a pool of 231 registrants. Students had the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of hands-on workshops that introduced foundational and advanced cybersecurity techniques. These included Linux fundamentals, web application hacking, cryptographic analysis, hardware manipulation and binary exploitation. Participants also explored digital forensics in a simulated laboratory environment, tackled reverse engineering challenges and followed clues in a Near-field Technology (NFC) card scavenger hunt that tested both their technical skills and teamwork.

To promote inclusivity and collaboration, CSG partnered with the UT Dallas chapter of Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) to host a password-cracking workshop and a social event that utilized NFC card technology as a playful yet educational engagement tool. Adding further depth to the weekend, a guest speaker from Idaho National Laboratory shared insights from the industry. At the same time, representatives from State Farm Insurance, Idaho National Lab, the Dallas Hackers Association and Defcon214 joined students for a networking dinner.

Although Yubico could not attend in person, the company generously donated 50 YubiKeys as prizes, which were awarded to in-person participants and the top-performing CTF teams. Monster Energy also sponsored the event by providing complimentary drinks, keeping students energized throughout the intense weekend.

Dr. Kamil Sarac emphasized the importance of events like TexSAW in preparing students for careers in cybersecurity: “TexSAW has been an excellent venue for our students to develop their technical cybersecurity skills and help them significantly improve their teamwork and presentation skills. Over the past 15 years, our students have reached out to numerous students at UT Dallas and elsewhere, giving them opportunities to learn about cybersecurity and put their knowledge into practice in the capture-the-flag competition that has been an integral part of the TexSAW event each year.”

TexSAW continues to grow as a student-driven initiative that connects academic, industry and global communities through a shared passion for cybersecurity. With each passing year, the event reinforces the UT Dallas Computer Science Department’s status as a leader in hands-on, student-focused cybersecurity education.