Ynov Campus students put their skills to the test in a thrilling CTF experience powered by Hack The Box

Recently, Hack The Box had the pleasure of hosting a Capture the Flag (CTF) competition at Ynov Campus Paris. The event marked a significant first step in fostering a culture of benchmarking and continuous skill development across Ynov’s campuses.

With 13 campuses across France, Ynov Campus offers training in 12 sectors of excellence through 64 BTS, bachelor’s, and master’s programs, making it the leading institution in France for education in digital professions.

The CTF featured 10 challenges across various categories, including reversing, OSINT, forensics, pwn, web, and crypto. With difficulty levels ranging from easy to very challenging, the competition was designed to engage students of all experience levels. Participants had the chance to assess their current skill set, identify areas for growth, and either sharpen their expertise or gain new capabilities. For many, it was their first time participating in a CTF - and they embraced it with enthusiasm and determination. 

Prior to the CTF, the Hack The Box team delivered a masterclass to Ynov Campus Paris students, offering insights into emerging threats and technologies to help them prepare for the upcoming challenges and better understand the skills demanded in today’s cybersecurity workforce.

Why did Ynov Campus choose Hack The Box and the CTF experience?

The students who participated in the CTF came from Ynov Campus bachelor’s and master’s programs in cybersecurity. These programs emphasize real-world applications and cover critical areas such as ethical hacking, network and cloud security, risk management, and incident response.

“In today’s world, cybersecurity is a major priority for all industries. That’s why we make sure our program goes beyond theory. We focus on immersing students in real-world scenarios and tools that reflect the actual challenges they’ll face in the field. This emphasis on practical learning made the CTF a perfect addition to Ynov Campus  academic offerings.” 

Thibault Feugère, National Cybersecurity Referent at Ynov Campus

Hosting a CTF provided Ynov Campus students with the opportunity to engage in hands-on simulations of real-world threats, while honing critical thinking, teamwork under pressure, and skill assessment—exactly the kind of experience they’ll need in their future careers.

“When we reached out to Hack The Box, it was part of a larger initiative to bring industry-recognized platforms into our training. We wanted our students to experience one of the most respected hands-on platforms in cybersecurity and Hack The Box immediately understood and supported our vision.”

Thibault Feugère, National Cybersecurity Referent at Ynov Campus

Student reflections

Following the competition, students described the CTF as one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of their academic journey.

“I joined the CTF to push myself technically and see how my skills held up in a real competitive environment. It was a great opportunity to learn under pressure and have fun at the same time. I made solid progress in pwn and reverse engineering. These challenges really pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me develop a deeper understanding of low-level exploitation. Each web challenge felt like a mini victory and gave me a real sense of accomplishment. The CTF reminded me why I chose this field in the first place.” 

Udo, Master student in Cybersecurity at Ynov Campus

This initiative showcased the power of industry-academic collaboration in creating impactful, real-world learning experiences that prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

And the best part? Students are already eager to know when the next CTF will take place.