Early bird registrations have officially opened for the CyberKarachi Hackathon 2026, an upcoming online cybersecurity competition designed to bring together individuals and teams to test their technical skills through a series of security challenges. Organised under the CyberKarachi banner, the event will follow a Capture The Flag (CTF) format, giving participants an opportunity to solve technical problems across different areas of cybersecurity. The competition is scheduled for December 18, from 9:00 PM to 12:00 AM, and will use a Jeopardy-style format in which participants can attempt challenges across multiple categories to earn points. Registration is open to both individual participants and teams, with each team allowed to have between one and four members. This means participants can compete independently or collaborate with others to work through the challenges. The organisers have invited people interested in cybersecurity to register ahead of the event and take part in the competition, which aims to provide a platform for testing practical knowledge and problem-solving abilities in different technical domains.
The announced challenge categories include Web, Forensics, Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), Reverse Engineering, Cryptography, Blockchain and Miscellaneous (MISC), among others. These areas cover different aspects of cybersecurity and digital investigation, requiring participants to approach problems using a range of technical skills. Web challenges generally involve identifying and solving security-related problems in web applications, while forensic tasks focus on examining digital evidence to uncover relevant information. OSINT challenges involve gathering and analysing information from publicly available sources, whereas reverse engineering requires participants to examine software or files to understand how they work. Cryptography challenges focus on encryption and the methods used to protect information, while blockchain-related tasks introduce participants to security concepts associated with distributed digital systems. The organisers have not yet announced the complete challenge list or detailed rules for individual categories. However, the range of areas indicates that the competition will offer participants different types of technical problems rather than focusing on a single cybersecurity discipline. The prize pool has also not been disclosed, with organisers stating that further details will be announced soon.
The organisers have introduced an early bird registration fee of PKR 1,500 per team, which will remain available for one week and expire on November 11 at 11:59 PM. After the early bird period ends, the regular registration fee will be PKR 2,000 per team. The discounted rate provides an opportunity for interested participants to secure their place at a lower cost before the deadline. The pricing is set per team, rather than per individual member, and applies to teams consisting of one to four participants, including those competing solo. Interested participants can register through the online registration link shared by the organisers. They have encouraged potential competitors to complete registration before the early bird offer expires if they wish to benefit from the reduced fee. The event will take place online, allowing registered participants to join the competition remotely during the announced three-hour schedule. Further information about the prize pool, challenge arrangements and any additional participation instructions is expected to be shared by the organisers as the event approaches.
CyberKarachi has also invited companies and organisations interested in supporting the hackathon to explore sponsorship and partnership opportunities. Interested organisations can contact the organisers directly through cyberkarachi.info@gmail.com to discuss potential collaboration. Sponsorship and partnership support can provide organisations with an opportunity to engage with the cybersecurity community and contribute to activities focused on technical learning and skills development. The event’s focus on Web security, digital forensics, OSINT, cryptography and other technical areas places it within the wider effort to encourage practical cybersecurity knowledge and collaboration among participants. By offering both solo and team participation, the organisers are opening the competition to individuals with different levels of experience and those who prefer collaborative problem-solving. The CyberKarachi Hackathon 2026 is scheduled for December 18, from 9:00 PM to midnight, with early bird registration closing on November 11 at 11:59 PM. Participants can register through the link provided in the organisers’ announcement, while organisations seeking to sponsor or partner with the event can contact the team through the listed email address. Further announcements are expected to provide details about the prize pool and other competition arrangements.
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