Cloudbase Achieves Runner-Up Placement at DEF CON 34's Cloud Village CTF

Cloudbase's Impressive Achievement at DEF CON 34

Cloudbase Inc., based in Minato, Tokyo, proudly announced its remarkable success at the esteemed security event DEF CON 34 held in Las Vegas in August 2026. Participating in the highly competitive Cloud Village CTF (Capture The Flag), the company secured the second position among 260 competing teams, marking a significant improvement from their previous fourth place finish last year.

Understanding DEF CON and Cloud Village CTF

Founded in 1993, DEF CON is recognized as one of the largest and most significant security conferences globally. Security researchers and professionals from around the world converge at this annual event to share knowledge through specialized sessions, hands-on labs, and captivating competitions like CTFs.

The CTF competitions at DEF CON consist of two main types: the prestigious DEF CON CTF Finals, open only to pre-qualified teams, and the various themed Villages where attendees can showcase their skills in specific areas. The Cloud Village CTF focuses exclusively on cloud security, challenging competitors with more than 60 problems related to top cloud environments like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud over approximately 40 hours of rigorous competition.

Cloudbase's Journey and Results

This year marks Cloudbase's second participation in the Cloud Village CTF. The team improved significantly, achieving the highest ranking among Japanese teams. The focus of Cloudbase’s mission is to contribute to a future where Japanese companies can truly make a global impact. Participating in such competitions not only sharpens their expertise in cloud security but also provides practical experience in identifying the latest threat methodologies and attack patterns.

As a forward-thinking company, Cloudbase aims to continue engaging in the Cloud Village CTF in the upcoming years with aspirations to win the top spot, solidifying its status as a leader in the field. Through continuous participation on a global stage, Cloudbase aims to enhance Japan's competitive edge and foster advancements in cloud security.

Comments from Cloudbase Team Members

Makoto Naruse, VP of Engineering

"From our fourth-place finish last year, we have surged to second place among 260 teams this year, leading among Japanese teams. We missed first place by just 50 points, which fills me with both pride and a sense of regret. We are keen to refine our skills in utilizing AI agents, aiming to solve security challenges for enterprise clients in Japan as we pursue our goal of victory next time."

Takuto Sato, Lead Product Engineer

"This challenge, being my second consecutive year, highlighted the rise of generative AI this year. The outcomes depended significantly on how well each participant could leverage AI alongside their engineering skills. Although we improved our ranking from last year, we were overtaken just 15 minutes before the end of the competition, which prevented us from claiming victory. I am determined to leverage this experience towards ensuring that we secure the top position next year."

Shogo Tsutsumi, Engineering Manager

"As a first-time participant, I relied heavily on my experienced teammates, but I could contribute thanks to our preparation and practice. It was genuinely enjoyable to apply my knowledge of cloud security in a competitive format. I look forward to sharing the insights gained from this experience with the entire Cloudbase team to bolster our technical capabilities further."

You Utakawa, Software Engineer

"This event marked my inaugural participation in a CTF. Previously, my understanding of compliance largely revolved around identifying risks related to configuration errors and vulnerabilities in a simplistic approach. However, working through the problems demonstrated how interconnected those risks are and how they can create paths for attacks. This has been a valuable and enjoyable learning experience, and I am committed to deepening my understanding of security in a broad sense to enhance our product quality moving forward."

About Cloudbase Inc.

Founded in 2019 by CEO Akiya Iwasa, who has an engineering background, Cloudbase, Inc. is a burgeoning startup providing a security platform capable of monitoring and managing risks across multi-cloud environments, such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and Oracle Cloud. Their expertise extends beyond cloud environments, encompassing a broad view of corporate IT infrastructure to support continuous risk management. They also offer an AI governance platform called Cloudbase AI, designed to prevent leaks of proprietary information, ensuring safe AI utilization.