Princess Sumaya University for Technology secures top position in Collegiate Penetration Testing Competition

AMMAN — Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT) achieved first place globally in the Collegiate Penetration Testing Competition hosted at Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, USA. 

The competition included 15 teams, all from prestigious US universities, and PSUT was the only team from outside the United States. 

Stanford University secured the second position, while the University of Massachusetts Amherst came in third.

The winning team comprised students and faculty members from King Hussein School of Computing Sciences and King Abdullah II School of Engineering.

The team members were Nizar Dradakah, Omar Hamada, Mustafa shawwa, Hamza Sahat, Ahmad Jundi and  Sami Abdul Rahman, under the supervision of Mohammad Ababneh and Qutaiba bluwi, according to a statement by PSUT. 

Princess Sumaya Bint Al Hassan, chairwomen of the University’s Board of Trustees, congratulated the winning team and their supervisors on their outstanding success in this esteemed international competition. 

She also expressed her pride in the university’s students and professors for showcasing exceptional skills and deep knowledge in the field of cyber security.

Her Highness emphasised that this accomplishment showcases the university’s excellence and its global competitiveness as a prominent centre for education and scientific research. This serves as motivation to strive for further success in the future.

The university president, Professor Wejdan Abu Elhaija, congratulated the winning students and their supervisors. 

She also commended their continuous efforts and dedication throughout the three-month-long competition, highlighting their exceptional skills and deep knowledge in the field of cyber security that led to this significant achievement.

Abu Elhaija also said  that this achievement is a significant step in improving the university’s standing globally. It underscores excellence in education and the innovative programmes it offers, keeping pace with the ongoing technological and technical advancements.

In October 2023, the university team won the first place in the regional qualifiers for the Middle East, Africa, and Europe among 250 university teams from 8 global regions in the Penetration Testing Competition. 

This win qualified them for the global competition, where they competed against 15 teams in the finals after a three-month-long qualifying process.

This global competition, sponsored by IBM and other companies, focuses on cyber security. Competing teams analyse the networks of specific institutions with the objective of identifying security gaps and potential breaches, followed by the submission of a detailed technical report for evaluation by professional judges, the statement added.