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Imagine a security team staring at thousands of alerts pouring in from system scans, cloud configurations and infrastructure checks—each warning urgent, yet not all equally dangerous. In such an environment, critical threats can easily be buried beneath noise, slowing response times and exposing organisations to real risk.
This was the scope of challenges tackled by students from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) at the Maybank Hackathon 2025 – Group Technology & Digital (GTD 2025).
Their solution was an intelligent DevSecOps assistant designed to analyse security findings across the entire development pipeline, identify what truly matters, and guide teams towards swift, effective remediation. By transforming fragmented data into contextual insights, the system enables security and development teams to move from reactive firefighting to confident, prioritised action.
It is a concept rooted firmly in real-world need—and one that distinguished APU students with exceptional recognition across all top award categories at the hackathon.
A High-Impact Industry Platform
Fully sponsored by Maybank and hosted by APU, the hackathon took place on 22 November 2025 as a collaborative internal initiative, bringing together students from various APU programmes to design innovative, technology-driven solutions for the financial and digital technology sector.
Following a rigorous preliminary round, 12 finalist teams were shortlisted and invited to the closing and award ceremony on 8 December 2025 at Menara Maybank.
Maybank’s leadership present at the ceremony included Ms Mazhatulshima Binti Mohd Zahid, Group Chief Human Capital Officer; Mr Sutheshnathan, Head, CIO (International); Mr Hiren Kumar Naranbhai Jadav, Head of the Cloud Centre of Excellence; Ms Wee Yee Lee, Human Capital Director; and Mr Lou Yih Ming, Head of Group Technology Risk Management—all from Maybank’s Group Technology & Digital division.
The competition was judged exclusively by Maybank industry professionals, with no public voting. Teams were evaluated on innovation, technical feasibility, business value, real-world applicability, presentation quality, and teamwork. The format reflected authentic industry expectations, making the event a powerful experiential learning platform and a compelling example of industry–academia collaboration.
Outstanding Achievements by the School of Technology
Students from APU’s School of Technology (SoT) delivered standout performances across the top award categories:
Champion – Team Byte-Sized
- Chew Wei Han & Syafieqah Binti Ahmad Shukri
- Bachelor of Science (Hons) Cybersecurity
- Mentor: Mr Shahab Alizadeh, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security & Forensics
1st Runner-Up – Team Tartarus / SentinelX
- Aida Batrisya Binti Ramlee & Al-Aidan Iszdehar Farrn Bin Ismail Faizal
- Bachelor of Science (Hons) Cybersecurity
- Mentor: Ts Dr Nurzati Iwani Othman, Lecturer in Cloud, Networking & IoT
2nd Runner-Up – Team McShield / Maybank2Everyone
- Cho Kar Hin – Bachelor of Science (Hons) Cloud Computing
- Vincent Teo Kai Qi – Bachelor of Science (Hons) Artificial Intelligence
- Mentor: Ts Mohd Norfahmi Jaafar, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security & Forensics
Their collective success reflected not only technical excellence but also a shared ability to articulate problems clearly, design practical solutions, collaborate under pressure, and communicate with confidence.
Building Industry-Ready Professionals
The winning teams demonstrated strong cybersecurity, cloud and AI knowledge, coupled with a deep understanding of industry challenges. Their DevSecOps assistant addressed “Problem Statement 2: Problem Solving with DevSecOps Intelligence”, offering a system that consolidates findings from code analysis, dependency scanning and infrastructure assessments, then highlights the most critical risks with contextual guidance.
For Syafieqah Binti Ahmad Shukri of the champion team, the experience marked a defining milestone:
“Winning this hackathon is a meaningful milestone for our team, as it reflects the strength of our hard work, collaboration and shared passion for cybersecurity. Building an intelligent DevSecOps assistant challenged us to push our limits, think critically, and translate our ideas into practical solutions for real-world security challenges… This is only the beginning of our journey.”
Aida Batrisya Binti Ramlee, from the first runner-up team, echoed the value of perseverance and mentorship:
“This accomplishment confirms our perseverance and cooperation. Our mentor emphasised that being an expert is not about what you say about yourself but what you truly know—from the basics to the advanced. That mindset has strengthened our technical and problem-solving capabilities, providing a solid base for our tech careers.”
Her teammate, Al-Aidan Iszdehar Farrn Bin Ismail Faizal, reflected on personal growth:
“The achievement highlighted the parts I need to improve rather than what I already know. I learnt to communicate in a way that is both technical and concise. This is just the starter—the journey for greatness is long, but it is a risk we are willing to take.”
Beyond trophies and cash prizes, some winners will be shortlisted for interviews with Maybank, opening pathways to future employment and industry immersion.
Mentorship that Makes the Difference
The success was driven by continuous guidance from a dedicated academic team comprising Mr Shahab Alizadeh, Ts Dr Nurzati Iwani Othman, Ts Mohd Norfahmi Jaafar, Mr Mohd Hanis Jenalis, and Ms Noris Ismail. The event was led academically by the Senior Head of School of Technology, Associate Professor Dr Thang Ka Fei, who assumed the role of Academic Head for the hackathon.
Reflecting on the students’ outstanding performance and the success of the collaborative initiative, Assoc Prof Dr Thang Ka Fei remarked: “This achievement is about cultivating professionals who can think critically, build responsibly, and solve problems that matter.”
“Our students have demonstrated that with the right mentorship and industry engagement, they can move from theory to transformative impact. Experiences like this lay the foundation for lifelong growth, shaping graduates who are not only technically capable but also confident, adaptable, and ready to lead in a rapidly evolving digital world,” he concluded.
Through authentic challenges and meaningful partnerships, APU continues to empower its students to turn complexity into clarity and potential into professional excellence.