The Austria Cyber Security Challenge (ACSC) is one of Austria’s most important initiatives for promoting young talent in the field of cyber security. Following a qualifying phase lasting several months, the top participants gathered in Linz from 14 to 17 September 2026 for the final. The event concluded with the awards ceremony, held as part of the Austrian Armed Forces’ 2026 ICT Security Conference at the Design Centre Linz.
The AIT Centre for Digital Safety & Security was not only represented at the ICT Security Conference with its own exhibition stand and several experts, but is also committed to fostering the next generation of cyber security talent. By supporting the Austria Cyber Security Challenge, the AIT helps to inspire young people’s interest in IT security at an early stage, highlight talent and promote dialogue between research and industry.
The integration of the ACSC final into the ICT Security Conference also offered these up-and-coming talents the opportunity to engage directly with experts from research, industry, public administration and the Austrian Armed Forces.
Real-world challenges for the cyber security experts of tomorrow
At the ACSC, participants demonstrate their skills through challenging and real-world tasks. In the 2026 final, they competed against one another in the Juniors, Seniors and Open Class categories. In the new Attack & Defence mode, the aim was to secure their own systems against attacks whilst simultaneously identifying vulnerabilities in their opponents’ systems.
It is precisely this combination of technical expertise, real-world challenges and creative problem-solving that is also of central importance to cyber security research at AIT. At the Centre for Digital Safety & Security, researchers are developing innovative technologies and methods to make digital systems, critical infrastructure and organisations more resilient to current and future cyber threats.