Vietnamese female student participates in international cyber security competition, surpassing more than 200 contestants

In the male-dominated field of the technology industry, Tran Le Minh Thu, a second-year student in Ho Chi Minh City, along with four other students, made a mark by surpassing more than 200 candidates to become the ASEAN representative to attend the International Cybersecurity Challenge (ICC) Tokyo 2025.

Curiosity begins, passion follows

Tran Le Minh Thu (20 years old), a second-year student majoring in information security atFPT University (HCMC), is currently interning at Tech Lab, where she has access to real-life system security projects. Minh Thu's story is a journey from curiosity about technology to passion for the field of cybersecurity, a field of study traditionally considered for men.

The female student is passionate about cyber security

PHOTO: NVCC

After graduating from Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted (HCMC), Minh Thu had planned to study economics . However, after accidentally watching a video introducing the cybersecurity industry, she decided to "change direction" and choose cybersecurity. "I found this industry mysterious and rarely mentioned, so I wanted to try it. And the more I learned, the more I found myself attracted," she shared.

At first, learning was not easy. Technical concepts, programming or security all required a lot of patience. “When I first started learning, I found it very difficult, there were some lessons that I was confused by just listening to. But the more I tried to understand, the more interesting I found it, like a puzzle that needed to be solved,” Minh Thu said.

Not only did she study the knowledge in class, she actively read international documents, participated in online competitions and practiced CTF (Capture The Flag) exams, a popular exam format in the cybersecurity industry, requiring critical thinking and comprehensive technical skills. It was her perseverance and initiative that helped Minh Thu quickly shape her own path in this industry.

Courage to overcome challenges in cybersecurity expertise

This November, Minh Thu will join the ASEAN team of 10 contestants (of which Vietnam has 5 people including Minh Thu and 4 other contestants) to participate in the International Cybersecurity Challenge (ICC) Tokyo 2025. This is a global arena gathering young talents in the field of cybersecurity, held for the first time in Asia.

Minh Thu and her teammates will gather in Bangkok (Thailand) to practice before flying to Japan on November 10. After 4 days of competition, the team will return to Vietnam on November 15.

Sharing about the upcoming competition, the female student said: “I hope to learn more about techniques, thinking and professional working methods from my friends in the ASEAN region. As a representative of Vietnam in the ASEAN team, I am proud and want to spread the image of young Vietnamese people who are dynamic, progressive, and dare to step out into the world .”

Minh Thu and 4 other Vietnamese contestants will participate in the competition in Japan.

PHOTO: NVCC

Before joining the team, Minh Thu had to go through a rigorous selection process, from technical tests to professional interviews in English. “The most difficult part was the interview round, when I had to present the entire process of mining and analyzing a real CTF in English. I had to think technically and express myself clearly, which was a huge challenge,” she recounted.

What is special is that all of Minh Thu's English skills come from self-study. She achieved an IELTS 8.0 by persistently watching videos, reading international documents and practicing communication through technology content. "I think if you persevere and choose the right learning method, you can still achieve your goal even if you start from zero," Minh Thu said.

Self-studying not only helped her overcome language barriers but also trained her self-research skills, an essential element in an ever-changing field like cybersecurity. Thanks to that, she successfully completed the exam and became one of three Vietnamese female students selected for the ASEAN team to compete in ICC Tokyo 2025, along with two companions, Vu Xuan Mai and Khong Phuong Thao. All three are actively preparing for the upcoming journey, where they will not only represent Vietnam, but also be the voice of women in the technology field.

“I hope my journey will inspire many other girls to dare to try their hand at technology. The important thing is to just start, be patient and find a learning method that suits you,” Minh Thu shared before her departure.

Women have no limits in knowledge and creativity. No matter what field they are in, as long as they try, women can shine in their own way.

Tran Le Minh Thu (20 years old), 2nd year student majoring in information security

Affirming women's bravery in technology

Mr. Andre De Jong, Vice President, General Director of Bosch Vietnam, Sales Director of Southeast Asia, spoke at The Makeover 2025, an event on digital technology and human transformation in human resources organized by Talentnet Group (HCMC), that: "In the past, the majority of technology industry personnel were men. Therefore, when artificial intelligence (A)I was trained with historical data, it 'implicitly' assumed that men were more suitable for information technology industries. However, this is no longer true today. Because today, capacity, thinking and passion for technology do not depend on gender".

The fact that three Vietnamese female students were selected to participate in ICC 2025 is not only a personal achievement, but also carries the message that women can absolutely assert their abilities in the field of technology, if they are passionate and persistent enough.

According to Minh Thu, the information technology industry in general and information security in particular are dry and selective of female students. But at the company where Thu is interning, nearly 60% of the staff are female. "I realize that although the abilities of men and women are different, when working together, that coordination creates very good results, they harmonize with each other at work," Minh Thu shared.

She continued to send the message: “I hope that every Vietnamese woman will always believe in her own abilities, dare to dream, dare to do what she wants. Women have no limits in knowledge and creativity. No matter what field they are in, as long as they try, women can shine in their own way.”

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nu-sinh-viet-du-cuoc-thi-an-ninh-mang-quoc-te-vuot-qua-hon-200-thi-sinh-185251019214925654.htm