27/09/2026
MSU-IIT's Team Cyb3rus clinches HackForGov 2026 Region X championship, advances to National Finals
In Mythology, Cerberus guards the gates of the underworld and lets nothing through. The team Cyb3rus took that same energy into this competition in Cagayan de Oro, and came out as champions.
Representing Mindanao State University โ Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), Team Cyb3rus won the HackForGov 2026 Region X Regional Qualifying Round last September 18 at N Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City. The win locks in their spot at the HackForGov 2026 National Finals, where they will represent the name of both MSU-IIT and Region X โ Northern Mindanao.
HackForGov is a nationwide cybersecurity program under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Cybersecurity Bureau and the National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-PH). It runs on a Capture-the-Flag format, students are digging through digital forensics puzzles, probing web security flaws, breaking cryptography, defending networks, and hunting down vulnerabilities, all against the clock.
The team itself is a mix of disciplines.
Jiandale Ambal, a 3rd-year BSCA student, Theo Mata a 3rd-year BSIT student, Jumier Rey Cabaรฑero BSCpE student and Zurich Obor, a 4th-year BSCpE student, joined forces under the guidance of their coach, Haron Lua, a professor from the College of Computer Studies (CCS).
For Team Cyb3rus, Region X was just the first checkpoint. Next up is the national stage, and they are heading there carrying with them the name of MSU-IIT and the whole Region X โ Northern Mindanao. Their achievement highlights the technical cybersecurity skills, preparation, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities of their team. It's a win that says a lot about what these students are capable of when the pressure's on and it sets them up for an even bigger test at nationals.
From Cagayan de Oro to the national finals, Team Cyb3rus is ready to raise the flag for MSU-IIT and Region X.
๐: Farhana Daurong
