Are you curious about what it's like to compete in a real-world cybersecurity competition? Here's a look behind the scenes of our incredible experience at the CodeQuest: Vault Edition CTF 2025, where Team Quantum Breach from the University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC) proudly secured the 2nd Runner-Up position.
From intense problem-solving to non-stop adrenaline, this blog shares everything from the challenges we tackled to the lessons we learned.
🚀 What is CodeQuest: Vault Edition CTF?
CodeQuest Vault Edition is a Capture the Flag (CTF)-style cybersecurity hackathon organized by the IEEE Student Branch of UCSC. It challenges university students to solve real-world cybersecurity problems in a competitive and collaborative setting.
This year’s final round was a high-stakes, 8-hour physical CTF competition hosted at Virtusa — a vibrant, tech-driven environment that set the perfect stage for the battle of minds.
👨💻 Meet Team Quantum Breach
Our team was a trio of cybersecurity enthusiasts from UCSC:
🔹 Induwara Uthsara🔹 Tharusha Jayasooriya
Together, we formed Team Quantum Breach, united by curiosity, code, and countless late-night practice sessions.
🧩 The CTF Challenge Categories
The final round featured five core categories, each with time-sensitive and brain-twisting problems:
🔐 1. Cryptography Challenges
We decoded encrypted messages, cracked custom ciphers, and manipulated hash functions to reveal hidden flags.
🌐 2. Web Exploits
These tasks required us to exploit vulnerable web apps using techniques like SQL injection, XSS, and authentication bypass.
🔁 3. Reverse Engineering
By analyzing binaries and understanding how code worked internally, we uncovered hidden logic and exploited weaknesses in compiled programs.
💣 4. Binary Exploits
Low-level programming meets high-level stress — buffer overflows, memory corruption, and other binary-based attack vectors tested our skills here.
🕵️ 5. Forensics
We performed digital investigations on file dumps, packet captures, and corrupted images — recovering deleted data and hidden flags.
💥 What It Felt Like Competing at Virtusa
Being inside Virtusa's tech-savvy space was a game-changer. The competitive atmosphere, the clicks of rapid typing, and the intensity of real-time scoreboard updates made this 8-hour event feel like both a war zone and a dream come true for cybersecurity lovers.
We stayed caffeinated, hyper-focused, and constantly communicated — solving problems under pressure and adapting rapidly.
🏆 Securing 2nd Runner-Up – A Moment of Pride
At the end of the day, we were thrilled to be announced as the 2nd Runner-Up among some of the best student hackers in the country. This recognition meant more than just a trophy — it was a reward for our teamwork, preparation, and passion for cybersecurity.
🏅 University of Colombo School of Computing – proudly represented
📸 Moments captured – friendships, focus, and flags
💪 Skills tested – and strengthened
🙏 Special Thanks
We owe a massive thank you to:
🎓 IEEE Student Branch of UCSC – for organizing a flawless, engaging, and inspiring CTF
🏢 Virtusa – for providing the perfect venue to host a competition of this scale
👏 All participating teams – for making it a fun and challenging learning experience
💡 Key Takeaways & What’s Next
🚀 CTFs are one of the best ways to learn cybersecurity by doing
🤝 Teamwork and trust are critical under pressure
🧠 Every challenge is a learning opportunity, even if you failOur journey doesn't end here. Team Quantum Breach is just getting started. We’ll continue participating in more CTFs, expanding our skills, and sharing knowledge with others in the cybersecurity community.