First Focus Shines in Global Huntress CTF 2025

First Focus Placed in the Top 0.4% Worldwide

First Focus is proud to announce that our cybersecurity team placed 27th out of 6,869 teams in the Huntress Capture the Flag (CTF) 2025, ranking in the top 0.4% worldwide.

This achievement reflects our team’s skill, dedication, and leadership in cybersecurity. Competing among the world’s best, we’ve proven our ability to stay ahead of evolving threats while showcasing our commitment to excellence and innovation.

A Global Test of Cyber Security Skills

The Huntress CTF is not your average tech challenge. Hosted each October by leading cybersecurity company Huntress, it’s a month-long event that attracts thousands of professionals, students, and cyber enthusiasts from around the world. Teams compete by solving real-world cybersecurity puzzles covering everything from digital forensics and malware analysis to reverse engineering and cryptography. Each challenge represents a scenario that real analysts might face, turning complex cyber threats into learning opportunities.

This year’s event saw a record number of participants, with nearly 7,000 teams taking part. That makes First Focus’s 27th place finish even more remarkable. It reflects the dedication, skill, and relentless curiosity that drive our technical teams every day, not just during competitions, but in the work we do to protect and empower our clients.

What It Takes to Place in the Top 30

Capture the Flag competitions are intense, requiring both technical depth and creative problem-solving. The Huntress CTF unfolds over 31 days, releasing new challenges daily that push participants to think like attackers and defenders simultaneously. Teams earn points by uncovering “flags” hidden in complex systems, and the leaderboard shifts constantly as challenges are solved.

Ranking in the top 30 globally means our team mastered a broad range of technical disciplines, from dissecting advanced malware to breaking encrypted payloads. It’s a testament to the calibre and collaboration of our cyber experts who thrive on finding solutions, no matter how tough the problem.

Why This Achievement Matters

At First Focus, we believe cybersecurity is not just about defending against threats but also about staying ahead of them. Competing in challenges like Huntress CTF gives our team a unique edge, sharpening their skills in realistic, high-pressure environments. It also reinforces our commitment to continuous learning and innovation, ensuring we bring cutting-edge expertise to our clients every single day.

This ranking isn’t just a number. It’s proof that our team operates at a world-class standard, standing shoulder to shoulder with some of the most talented cybersecurity professionals across the globe. It showcases the depth of capability behind the services we deliver and underscores why clients trust First Focus to keep their systems safe and resilient.

About Huntress and the Spirit of the CTF

Huntress is a respected cybersecurity company dedicated to training and equipping defenders through education, awareness, and community-led events. Their annual CTF embodies that spirit of shared learning, offering participants a chance to explore real attack techniques in a safe, competitive environment.

For the First Focus team, it’s more than just a contest. It’s an opportunity to measure ourselves against the best, share knowledge, and strengthen the expertise that fuels our day-to-day operations. Every challenge solved adds to our understanding of the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by threat actors in the real world, with insights that directly enhance how we protect our clients.

Looking Ahead

Placing 27th out of nearly 7,000 teams is a huge milestone for First Focus, but it’s also a reminder that excellence is built through continuous improvement. Our cybersecurity experts are already preparing for the next round of challenges, eager to learn, adapt, and climb even higher next year.

This achievement reflects who we are: curious, collaborative, and committed to excellence. Congratulations to our incredible team for representing First Focus with skill, integrity, and passion on the global stage.