Months of intense preparation have culminated in an extraordinary achievement: Team Unibo has secured the bronze medal at the CyberChallenge.IT 2025 finals, held on July 6th and 7th at the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) in Turin.
The six-member team—Federico Bosi, Giuseppe Aiello, Mattia Ronchi, Marco Balducci, Davide Fiocchi, and Emanuele Argonni—stood out in this elite competition. Competing against 40 teams from across Italy, the University of Bologna representatives showcased not only exceptional technical expertise but also remarkable teamwork and resilience under pressure.
The competition followed a Capture The Flag Attack/Defence format, challenging participants with realistic cybersecurity scenarios and complex technical puzzles. This demanding format requires far more than technical knowledge—it demands strategic thinking, seamless coordination, and the ability to adapt rapidly to evolving threats.
The team's success represents the culmination of a training journey that began in February within the classrooms of the University of Bologna. This path was made possible thanks to the valuable support of professors Prof. Marco Prandini and Prof. Andrea Melis from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (DISI), who were able to guide and motivate the participants from the earliest stages of preparation.
A fundamental role in the team's formation was played by the tutors Pietro Bertozzi, Giacomo Boschi, Alan Davide Bovo, Karina Chichifoi, Davide Gianessi, Eyad Issa, Luca Lombardi, Renato Marziano, and Elia Soldati, who shared their experience and expertise throughout the preparation process.
Tutors Pietro Bertozzi and Renato Marziano accompanied the team to Turin, alongside Prof. Marco Prandini, providing crucial support throughout the high-stakes competition weekend.
The July 7th award ceremony brought together key figures from Italy's cybersecurity community, including Prof. Alessandro Armando, director of the CINI Cybersecurity National Lab, Prof. Ginevra Cerrina Feroni, Vice President of the Italian Data Protection Authority, and Dr. Bruno Frattasi, Director of the National Cybersecurity Agency. Their presence underscored the competition's significance in Italy's cybersecurity education landscape.
The CyberChallenge.IT experience represents not only a moment of competition, but a unique opportunity for professional and personal growth. Participants had the chance to interact with peers from all over Italy, sharing knowledge and creating a network of contacts that will prove valuable in their professional future.
This result confirms the excellence of the University of Bologna in training cybersecurity professionals and represents a source of pride for the entire university. The bronze medal is the tangible recognition of a constant commitment and dedication that has characterized the entire journey, from theoretical classroom training to the final challenge in the field.
SOCIAL SHARE CARD GENERATOR