CYBERPATRIOT 18 (2025-2026)
The CyberPatriot 18 season began in October 2025 with 4,787 registered teams across the US and around the world. Through a series of online competition rounds, teams were tested on their ability to find and fix cybersecurity vulnerabilities in virtual operating systems, all while maintaining critical services.
CLICK HERE for a list of registered teams from CyberPatriot 18 CLICK HERE for a map of registered teams from CyberPatriot 18 CLICK HERE for the 2025-2026 Registration Report
After two challenging rounds of online competition, the Open and All Service Division teams were divided into three skill tiers. Teams scoring in the top 30% of teams were placed in the Platinum Tier, the middle 40% of teams in the Gold Tier, and the remaining 30% of teams in the Silver Tier. All teams then competed within their tiers for state awards and advancement to the Semifinal Round. In this final online round, teams faced two challenges: The Network Security Master Challenge with the CyberPatriot Web-Based Component and the Cisco NetAcad Challenge. This season Cisco's network simulation, Packet Tracer, went online. During the semifinals round of the competition, Gold Tier teams used the Web-Based Challenge for the first time.
After the Semifinal Round, eleven Platinum Tier Open Division teams, eleven Platinum Tier All Service Division teams, and three Middle School Division teams earned their spot in the National Finals Competition which took place at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Rockville, MD. This season, Alma Linux was used in the National Finals Competition for the first time.
During the Network Security Master Challenge, teams are provided with multiple virtual operating systems (also known as “images”). Each team serves as administrators for a small business, working to find and fix vulnerabilities, maintain critical services, resolve injects, and defend against professional Red Team attackers.
During the Cisco NetAcad Challenge, teams had three components to complete in 90 minutes. They were required to manage and troubleshoot network security components in a hands-on exercise, complete a Cisco networking quiz, which covered what they learned this season and teams were also presented with a physical component, similar to a "scavenger hunt." During the scavenger hunt, teams had to physically create a Cat5 cable to connect a security camera to a network and find physical, verbal, and written clues to complete a complex task.
NATIONAL FINALS COMPETITION WINNERS
OPEN DIVISION
National Champion: TitanTurtles from Sunshine Elite Education (Beaverton, OR)
Runner-Up: Half Dome from Franklin High School (Elk Grove, CA)
Third Place: CyberAegis Perseus from Scouting America Exploring Club 2928 (San Diego, CA)
ALL SERVICE DIVISION
National Champion: Terabyte Falcons from Scripps Ranch High School, Air Force JROTC (San Diego, CA)
Runner-Up: Runtime Terror from Troy High School, Navy JROTC (Fullerton, CA)
Third Place: Cyber Monkeys from Burke Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol (Springfield, VA)
MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION
National Champion: CyberAegis Hydra from Scouting America Exploring Club 2927 (San Diego, CA)
Runner-Up: Team 1 from Cedarlane Academy (Hacienda Heights, CA)
Third Place: Cyber Crashouts from Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy (Plymouth, MI)
INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGE AWARD WINNERS
Open Division Cisco Networking Challenge:
1st Place: TitanTurtles from Sunshine Elite Education (Beaverton, OR)
2nd Place: Axios from Loyola Blakefield (Towson, MD)
3rd Place: CyberAegis Perseus from Scouting America Exploring Post 2928 (San Diego, CA)
All Service Division Cisco Networking Challenge:
1st Place: Runtime Terror from Troy High School, Navy JROTC (Fullerton, CA)
2nd Place: Cyber Monkeys from Burke Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol (Springfield, VA)
3rd Place: Talk to me Goose from Theodore Roosevelt High School, Army JROTC (San Antonio, TX)
Middle School Division Cisco Networking Challenge:
1st Place: CyberAegis Hydra from Scouting America Exploring Club 2927 (San Diego, CA)
2nd Place: Team 1 from Cedarlane Academy (Hacienda Heights, CA)
3rd Place: Cyber Crashouts from Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy (Plymouth, MI)
CYBERPATRIOT 18 CYBER ALL-AMERICAN AWARD RECIPIENT
Awarded to CyberPatriot competitors who qualify for the National Finals all four of their high school competition seasons.
