Cybersecurity & Ethical Hacking Workshop 2026
ACM BIT Mesra presents the 2026 Cybersecurity & Ethical Hacking Workshop — an in-depth hybrid training program featuring in-person opening and three evening classes at BIT Mesra, followed by advanced online guided practice and CTF labs. Designed for students aspiring toward offensive and defensive security careers, this workshop combines instructor-led demonstrations with hands-on lab environments.
- Date
- Oct 27–31, 2026
- Time
- Inauguration: 18:00 IST | Evening Classes: 6:00 – 7:30 PM IST
- Venue
- CAT Hall (Inauguration) · In-Person & Online Hybrid, BIT Mesra
- Organized by
- ACM Student Chapter, BIT Mesra, ACM CyberSec Wing
About the event
The Cybersecurity Workshop is crafted by ACM BIT Mesra to bridge theoretical computer network knowledge with realistic offensive and defensive operations.
The program begins with an in-person opening at CAT Hall and three evening classes on campus, followed by weekly online labs and guided challenges on PortSwigger Academy, Bandit, picoCTF, and OWASP Juice Shop.
All exercises adhere strictly to ethical guidelines and are conducted in closed, authorized laboratory environments for education only.
Detailed Workshop Schedule & Modules
In-person opening and three evening classes at BIT Mesra, followed by online guided practice and CTF labs.
Opening / Inauguration
Workshop roadmap; cybersecurity learning goals; ethical and legal boundaries
Orientation, participant expectations and overview of in-person-to-online plan
Day 1: Cybersecurity foundations, ethics & Linux basics
CIA triad; threats, vulnerabilities and risk; phishing and social engineering; password safety and MFA; Linux shell basics
Spot red flags in sample phishing messages; practise safe terminal commands; beginner Linux challenge
Day 2: Networking, HTTP, crypto & password security
IP addresses, ports, TCP/IP, DNS, OSI vs TCP/IP; HTTP vs HTTPS; requests, responses, cookies and headers
Inspect a sample browser request with DevTools; basic networking/terminal exercises; guided CTF task
Day 3: Web security, guided lab & mini-CTF
Authentication vs authorization; web app security; SQL injection and access-control concepts; responsible testing and remediation
Guided lab on a deliberately vulnerable training app; mini-CTF in pairs; write up one finding and its fix
Online classes and guided practice
Linux and networking practice; web vulnerabilities (SQL injection, XSS, access control); CTF problem-solving; basic crypto/forensics as the course progresses
Weekly online lab challenges, hints and write-ups; follow-up projects using Bandit, picoCTF, PortSwigger Academy and OWASP Juice Shop
Cybersecurity Common Sense Quiz
Test your cyber safety instincts with our 10-question interactive challenge. Learn to spot phishing, protect credentials, and assess situational risk.
Timeline & milestones
- 27 Oct 2026 (Tue), 18:00 IST
Workshop Opening / Inauguration
ConfirmedIn-person opening at CAT Hall. Overview of workshop roadmap, ethical boundaries, participant expectations, and transition plan to online modules.
- 28 Oct 2026 (Wed), 18:00 – 19:30 IST
Day 1: Foundations, Ethics & Linux Basics
Confirmed90-minute in-person session covering the CIA triad, threat modeling, phishing recognition, password hygiene, and hands-on Linux CLI drills.
- 29 Oct 2026 (Thu), 18:00 – 19:30 IST
Day 2: Networking, HTTP, Crypto & Password Security
Confirmed90-minute in-person session analyzing TCP/IP, OSI, HTTP headers, DevTools packet inspection, cryptographic fundamentals, and guided CTF exercises.
- 30 Oct 2026 (Fri), 18:00 – 19:30 IST
Day 3: Web Security, Guided Lab & Mini-CTF
Confirmed90-minute in-person session covering OWASP Top 10 web vulnerabilities, SQL injection, access control bypasses, and paired mini-CTF lab challenge.
- From 31 Oct 2026 onward
Online Classes & Guided Practice Labs
ConfirmedSelf-paced and guided online CTF tracks on OverTheWire Bandit, picoCTF, PortSwigger Web Security Academy, and OWASP Juice Shop with community hints and write-ups.
Rules & guidelines
- Participants must bring their own laptop with Wi-Fi capability.
- All penetration testing must be performed strictly within the designated target sandboxes.
- Adherence to the ACM Code of Ethics and BIT Mesra Lab Policy is mandatory at all times.
Prizes & recognition
Top individual scorer on the Day 2 Jeopardy CTF leaderboard.
Certificate of Excellence + Swag KitSecond highest CTF flag solver.
Certificate of Distinction + GoodiesAwarded to all students completing hands-on laboratory checkpoints.
Participation CertificatesExplore more
Official Workshop Poster & Promo Assets
Expert-led hybrid poster — view and share the conference-style official announcement creative for ACM BIT Mesra.
OverTheWire: Bandit Wargame Sandbox
Practice foundational Linux command line ergonomics, SSH connections, file permissions, and directory traversal.
PortSwigger Web Security Academy
Free online interactive web security training and hands-on labs covering SQL injection, authentication bypasses, XSS, and CSRF.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible to participate?
All undergraduate, postgraduate, and research scholars from BIT Mesra with an active university account are eligible to attend.
Do I need prior hacking or CTF experience?
No prior cybersecurity experience is required. Basic understanding of Linux terminal commands and networking concepts is helpful, and complete beginners are warmly welcomed.
What should I bring to the workshop?
Bring your laptop with a working browser and Wi-Fi capability. Setup guides for Kali Linux VMs or Docker environments will be sent prior to the event.
Is there any registration fee?
No. The workshop is completely free of charge, organized by ACM BIT Mesra for the student developer community.
Will participants receive certificates?
Yes, verified digital participation certificates will be awarded to all attendees who complete the hands-on lab challenges.
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