Invisible Wars: High School Cyber Defense Challenge
Congrats to our 2025 Winners
Congratulations to the winners of our inaugural Cyber Defense Challenge! 118 teams from 70 different high schools in India participated in this highly competitive event!
Winner
Team Project Phoenix from Garodia International Centre for Learning (Mumbai)
Student Participants - Piya Punjabi, Nirva Shah and Niti Parekh
Teacher Mentor - Sharad Khandelwal
First Runner Up (2 teams)
Team Ghost Cipher from Seth Anandram Jaipuria School (Ghaziabad)
Student Participant - Amolik Saraswat
Teacher Mentor - Deepa Sharma
Team KST Phirm from SSVM World School (Coimbatore)
Student Participant - Kritharth St
Teacher Mentor - Nirmala S
Second Runner Up (2 teams)
Team Invictus Minds from City Montessori School, Kanpur Road, (Lucknow)
Student Participants - Parth Saxena, Rohan Sharma, Deepansh Srivastava
Teacher Mentor - Unnati Saxena
Team Van Guard from Legacy School (Bangalore)
Student Participants - Salai Mantralaya, Kimaya Pundir
Teacher Mentor - Bharath BJ
The threats are fictional. The skills are real. The future is yours to protect.
Invisible Wars is a national-level virtual cybersecurity competition for high school students in Grades 10 to 12. This challenge introduces students to digital defense, ethical strategy, and crisis communication in a scenario inspired by real-world threats to national infrastructure.
Hosted by Xavier University, a U.S. institution designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, this event encourages young minds to think like future-ready digital leaders.
The Scenario: National Systems Are Under Threat
The National Assessment Grid — a centralized, government-run online exam platform — is hours away from conducting high-stakes exams for over 10 million students. A potential breach has been detected in its encrypted question bank servers. Unusual login patterns from external IPs have triggered red flags. Leaked material may already be in circulation. Disabling the system risks nationwide disruption, but proceeding could compromise exam integrity.
You are part of the digital response task force. What do you recommend — and how do you respond under pressure?
Who Can Participate?
- Open to high school students in India, Grades 10 to 12 (ages 15–18)
- Participate individually or in teams of 2–3 students
- All team members must be from the same school
- A mentor is mandatory for each team (either a school teacher or Independent Education Consultant)
How to Join
We follow a two-step process to ensure quality participation and school involvement:
Step 1: School/Counselor Nomination
- School principals, counselors, or Independent Education Consultants (IECs) nominate their institution using a short online form.
- Upon successful nomination, they will receive the official Challenge Dossier, Judging Rubric, and Student Submission Link to share with their students.
Step 2: Student Submission
- After preparing their response, students submit their entry using the link shared by their school or mentor.
- Submission includes:
- Team member details
- Mentor information
- School information
- Final dossier (PDF format)
- Declaration of originality & consent
Important Dates
|
Activity |
Date |
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Registration Opens |
14 July 2025 |
|
|
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Dossier Submission Deadline |
30 August 2025 |
|
Virtual Finals + Awards Ceremony |
19 September 2025 |
Prizes & Recognition
- Xavier “Future Leader” Career Kit
- Digital Certificates & Swag
Frequently Asked Questions
Can students from different schools form one team?
No. All team members must be from the same school.
Can I participate individually?
Yes. Solo participation is allowed, but you must still have a mentor.
Are Independent Education Consultants (IECs) accepted as mentors?
Yes. Students working with IECs may register, provided the IEC serves as the official mentor.
Is a mentor mandatory?
Yes. Every team or solo participant must be accompanied by a mentor at the time of registration.
How do we receive the dossier and instructions?
Once you register, you will receive the challenge brief, judging rubric, and submission template by email.
Where do I submit the response?
You will receive a secure upload link in your confirmation email after registration.
Is there a registration fee?
No. Participation is completely free.
Contact Us
For further for queries – reach out to Sandeep Bhalla | 995 308 3668 | cyberchallenge@xavier.edu.