From 26 to 28 June 2026, the top 25 participants of the Cyber Security Challenge Germany (CSCG) met at the Faculty of Computer Science at Ruhr University Bochum (RUB). Their goal was to secure a place on Team Germany for the European Cybersecurity Challenge, which will take place in Bochum this October. All participants had earned their invitation by successfully advancing through the CSCG online qualification round.
The competitors, aged 14 to 25, were evenly split between the Junior and Senior divisions. Over the course of two days, they took part in a Capture the Flag (CTF) competition, a cybersecurity contest in which participants identify and exploit vulnerabilities in specially designed systems to solve challenges and earn points. Based on their performance, five Juniors and five Seniors will be selected to form the ten-member German national team.
The selection event was organized at the Faculty of Computer Science by Nachwuchsförderung IT-Sicherheit e.V. (NFITS), with support from FluxFingers, RUB's Capture the Flag team.
Run entirely by volunteers, NFITS organizes the Cyber Security Challenge Germany and the German Hacking Championship each year. As Germany is hosting the European Cybersecurity Challenge in 2026, this year's national team selection was held in Bochum - the same city that will welcome Europe's top young cybersecurity talent for the championship in October.
"It is inspiring to see the enthusiasm, dedication, and exceptional skill these young talents bring to the competition," says Lars Adolph of Nachwuchsförderung IT-Sicherheit. "Bochum is one of Europe's leading cybersecurity hubs, so it is only fitting that both the national team selection and the European Cybersecurity Challenge are taking place here. We look forward to welcoming Europe's brightest young cybersecurity talents to the region in October."
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