The Journey of Conquering ASEAN Cyber Shield Bootcamp 2025 by UIT Student Võ Quang Vũ

The Journey of Conquering ASEAN Cyber Shield Bootcamp 2025 by UIT Student Võ Quang Vũ

Recently, Võ Quang Vũ, a second-year student majoring in Information Security at the University of Information Technology, VNU-HCM (UIT), was excellently selected as one of only two representatives from Vietnam to participate in ASEAN Cyber Shield Bootcamp 2025, held in Busan, South Korea.

The Path to ASEAN Cyber Shield EDU

Quang Vũ’s journey to ASEAN Cyber Shield EDU began with a recruitment post on the fanpage of the UIT Information Security Laboratory.

ASEAN Cyber Shield EDU is part of the ASEAN Cyber Shield Project, funded by the ASEAN–Korea Cooperation Fund. This is an intensive cybersecurity training program aimed at enhancing professional competencies in information security for students from ASEAN countries.

The program provides a structured curriculum combining theoretical lectures with online labs, enabling participants to learn and practice simultaneously. Upon fulfilling all requirements, learners receive a certificate of completion. Training content spans from foundational areas such as Web Exploitation and System Exploitation to advanced topics including Real-world Web Exploitation, Incident Response, and Digital Forensics, equipping learners with knowledge and skills closely aligned with real-world practice. To date, the program has organized four training cohorts and two bootcamps.

Before being selected for ASEAN Cyber Shield Bootcamp 2025, Quang Vũ had already made his mark in various academic and professional cybersecurity competitions, notably:

• Top 5 – HDBank Hackathon 2025 (Cybersecurity Track)

• Top 3 – WannaGame Championship 2025 (International Division)

• Top 1 – M*CTF 2025 Qualifiers

Thanks to these outstanding achievements, Quang Vũ successfully passed the CV screening round and completed nearly four months of intensive training, participating in multiple course projects. From over 100 participants, the Organizing Committee selected seven outstanding students from the fourth cohort and previous cohorts to attend the international bootcamp.

As one of the two Vietnamese representatives, Quang Vũ shared:
“I feel extremely happy because this trip came with many ‘firsts’—my first time traveling abroad, my first time interacting with international friends, and also my first time representing Vietnam and UIT at an international event.”

Academic and Cultural Experience in Busan, South Korea

During ASEAN Cyber Shield Bootcamp 2025, Quang Vũ engaged in a wide range of intensive, hands-on activities, including Attack–Defense Cyber Drills, advanced web vulnerability exploitation, defensive system deployment and operation, AI applications in Information Security, as well as seminars and presentations.

“What impressed me the most was the attack–defense practice, where I could attack a realistic simulated website. It made me realize that many everyday websites and applications we use contain vulnerabilities that could be exploited at any time,” Vũ shared.

Beyond technical knowledge, Quang Vũ also significantly improved his presentation skills, teamwork abilities, and especially English communication skills. Interacting with participants from various countries brought him enriching experiences—not only academically, but also culturally and socially.

After the bootcamp, Quang Vũ noticed clear personal growth. In addition to strengthened professional expertise through real-world practice, he gained valuable insights from working and exchanging ideas with international mentors and peers.
“Teamwork is indispensable if you want to go fast and go far,” he emphasized.

UIT – Where Passion Is Nurtured and Futures Are Shaped

From the moment he explored IT-related majors, Quang Vũ realized that Information Security is not merely a trend, but an essential need of the digital society.
“Information security is like a doctor diagnosing and treating IT services, thereby improving user experience and ensuring safety,” Vũ explained.

The solid academic foundation and dynamic learning environment at UIT gave him the confidence to pursue this international program.
“The knowledge at the University of Information Technology provided me with a strong foundation—from coursework to hands-on practice, project development, and bootcamp participation. I also had the chance to exchange ideas with peers who share the same passion for cybersecurity,” he said.

For Quang Vũ, the bootcamp was not only an academic milestone but also an essential stepping stone for his long-term career orientation. In the future, he aims to become a Red Team Security Specialist, continuing his journey of safeguarding digital data and information security for users.
“My goal in information security is to protect digital data thoroughly. Imagine using applications like Google or Facebook while data could be stolen at any time—that’s unacceptable. To prevent that, we need to identify all existing vulnerabilities in an application or website and mitigate them,” Vũ shared.

Alongside this goal, he plans to continue participating in domestic and international CTF competitions, as well as advanced cybersecurity bootcamps and conferences to continuously enhance his expertise and skills.

Closing his story with the life motto “Do what I can,” Quang Vũ shared a message with fellow students:
“Make an effort to learn every day—learn more rather than less. And most importantly, don’t forget to improve your English, because it is truly the common language of the world.”