Kaspersky has announced the winners of the Security Analyst Summit (SAS) CTF 2026, with Middle Eastern cybersecurity team PwnSec claiming second place in the attack-defense finals and securing a $5,000 prize after a 24-hour competition against teams from around the world.
The competition aims to strengthen cybersecurity skills and develop global talent in the field. This year’s finals brought together winners from two competitions held earlier in 2026: the SAS CTF online qualifiers and Kaspersky{CTF}. Together, the two tournaments attracted more than 2,800 teams, with 14 finalists representing Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and North America.
24-hour challenge tests offensive and defensive cybersecurity skills
The finals featured a real-time attack-defense format in which teams had to protect their own servers while exploiting vulnerabilities in the systems of competing teams. Performance depended not only on successful attacks but also on maintaining service availability under pressure, with scores multiplied by each team’s ability to keep its services operational.
One of the standout challenges introduced a new experimental format: an isolated network without internet access or AI agents. Participants were required to solve the challenge manually, relying exclusively on their technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities.
BunkyoWesterns takes first place with $10,000 prize
BunkyoWesterns, competing in SAS CTF for the third time, secured first place and won $10,000.
PwnSec, which qualified through Kaspersky{CTF}, finished second, earning $5,000. Russia’s CUT, a newcomer from Central University, took third place and received $3,000.
Kaspersky highlights the importance of human expertise in the AI era
Commenting on the competition, Leonid Bezvershenko, Senior Security Researcher at Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT), highlighted the continued importance of human expertise as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into cybersecurity research.
“SAS CTF 2026 showed us something important: even in an era where AI tools are becoming part of every security researcher’s toolkit, there’s no substitute for genuine human expertise under pressure,” Bezvershenko said.
He added that while AI can suggest possible approaches, it cannot replace the practical experience and critical thinking demonstrated by participants. He also emphasized the role of competitions such as SAS CTF in developing the human talent needed to determine how AI tools are applied in cybersecurity.
SAS 2026 brings together global cybersecurity experts in Bali
Sponsored by Kaspersky Academy, the finals took place as part of the 18th annual Security Analyst Summit, held in Bali from October 20 to 23, 2026.
The conference brought together more than 200 participants from around the world. Its agenda included disclosures of critical vulnerabilities and investigations into highly complex cyberattacks targeting multiple digital sectors.
More information about SAS 2026, including its agenda and speakers, is available at https://thesascon.com.
About Kaspersky GReAT
Established in 2008, Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) specializes in investigating advanced persistent threats (APTs), cyber-espionage campaigns, major malware and ransomware incidents, and emerging trends in underground cybercrime.
The team comprises more than 30 experts working across Europe, Russia, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. Its specialists contribute to the company’s anti-malware research and innovation through their expertise in identifying and analyzing cyberthreats.
About Kaspersky
Founded in 1997, Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company that protects consumers, businesses, critical infrastructure and governments against cyberthreats. The company reports protecting more than one billion devices worldwide.
Its portfolio combines AI-driven protection technologies, threat intelligence, cybersecurity expertise and management tools designed for organizations of different sizes. Kaspersky focuses on helping customers detect threats earlier, respond faster, reduce operational disruption and protect their digital assets.
Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.
