Outstanding female student of Phenikaa University and passionate about protecting network security for the community

With impressive competitive spirit, sharp thinking and a passion for constantly conquering challenges, Xuan Mai has just won the championship of the online CTF competition for young experts under 26 years old in the ASEAN - Japan region, leaving a proud mark for Phenikaa and the Vietnamese information security community.

Phenikaa University's excellent female student and her passion for protecting network security for the community -0 — Xuan Mai at the ASEAN - Japan CTF competition.

On July 30, 2025, the ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Center (AJCCBC) in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Agency of Thailand (NCSA) and the Swiss Government organized an online CTF competition specifically for female students and young professionals under the age of 26. The playground gathered more than 300 talented contestants from many countries in the region, bringing rigorous challenges in exploiting security vulnerabilities, encryption, web attacks, source code analysis and digital forensics.

In that context, Vu Xuan Mai, the sole representative of the PHENIS Information Security Love Club, Phenikaa University, competed with the account “Vietnam_Mai Vu Xuan”. Not only did she overcome the pressure from a large number of highly qualified contestants, Xuan Mai also demonstrated her ability to analyze situations and provide quick and accurate solutions. As a result, she successfully solved all the challenges, rose to the top position and brought home the title of Top 1 of the competition.

This victory is not only a worthy reward for her tireless efforts in training, but also contributes to enhancing Vietnam's position in the ASEAN - Japan cybersecurity community. In particular, with her achievements, Xuan Mai will represent Vietnam to attend ICC 2025 in Tokyo, Japan, an event that gathers the world's leading cybersecurity talents. This is a valuable opportunity for Phenikaa female students to continue to challenge themselves, learn and spread their desire to conquer knowledge to international friends.

Before winning the prestigious title at the regional arena, Vu Xuan Mai was known to the information security community for a series of outstanding achievements: Top 1 in Vietnam, Top 10 in the world on the HackTheBox rankings, the world's leading cybersecurity training platform. Each milestone achieved is the result of days of persistent training, perseverance in CTF competitions, and constant exploration of solutions for complex simulation situations.

Xuan Mai's maturity also comes from the open and creative learning environment at Phenikaa University. Here, she received dedicated professional guidance from lecturers, along with the support of the PHENIS Information Security Club, where young people with a passion for technology share knowledge, practice skills and pass on positive energy to each other. It is the combination of personal efforts and a quality training environment that has helped Xuan Mai confidently shine, affirming the qualities of a Phenikaa female student on the international stage.

Not only stopping at personal achievements, Xuan Mai's image also has a strong inspirational value. In a field that is considered a "men's playground", the appearance and brilliance of a petite girl from Hai Phong has broken the stereotype, opening up the message: The opportunity to succeed in the field of cyber security is equal for all, as long as there is passion and perseverance.

Vu Xuan Mai’s success once again affirms Phenikaa University’s training orientation associated with practice and student-centered. This is also a clear proof that when students are given trust, opportunities and a development environment, they can completely reach regional and international levels.

From a petite girl with a passion for information security, Vu Xuan Mai has become a typical representative of the Phenikaa student generation, brave, creative and full of ambition. Mai's achievements not only bring pride to the school and the Vietnamese information technology community, but also motivate many young people, especially female students, to boldly pursue their passion, confidently assert themselves and leave their mark on international arenas.

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