Cloudbase Achieves 4th Place in DEF CON Cloud Village CTF Challenge

Cloudbase’s Remarkable Debut at DEF CON Cloud Village CTF

Cloudbase Inc., headquartered in Minato, Tokyo and led by CEO Akitsu Iwasa, recently made a significant impact at the esteemed DEF CON conference held in Las Vegas, USA in August 2025. For the first time, the company participated in the Cloud Village Capture The Flag (CTF) competition, focusing specifically on cloud security challenges, and impressively secured 4th place among competitors from around the world.

The Essence of DEF CON Cloud Village CTF

DEF CON, renowned as one of the largest security conferences globally since 1993, offers forums where security researchers and technologists gather to discuss the latest in the field. The Cloud Village CTF is centered on cloud security, requiring teams to solve security challenges related to significant cloud environments like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud over approximately 40 hours of competition. This event presented Cloudbase with a unique opportunity not just to compete, but also to learn about contemporary threats and attack patterns crucial for developing robust cloud solutions.

Cloudbase Team’s Journey and Achievements

Initially formed with three software engineers, Cloudbase entered the DEF CON Cloud Village CTF with the aim of applying its mission, "Creating an era where Japanese companies can change the world." By engaging in such prestigious competitions, Cloudbase sought to refine its expertise in cloud security, thus augmenting its capability to address the security issues faced by enterprises in Japan.

The decision to compete was significant, marking a new milestone for Cloudbase. Securing 4th place is not just an achievement but also a stepping stone toward pursuing higher goals in the IT security domain. The insights gained through this experience will be invaluable as Cloudbase aims to enhance its product offerings and continue supporting its customers, contributing to the evolution of cloud security and enhancing competitiveness for Japanese businesses on a global scale.

Insights from Team Members

Masaru Naruse, VP of Engineering at Cloudbase

Masaru Naruse remarked on the experience, "Cloudbase is dedicated to creating an era where Japanese companies can change the world. Our products are backed by advanced knowledge and engineering prowess in public cloud security. While we have been proactive in participating in international conferences, this marked our first foray into CTF competitions. Our team's expertise reflecting in our 4th place finish is both gratifying and motivating. We remain committed to refining our specialization further and addressing security challenges in Japan while investing actively in CTF events."

Takuto Sato, Lead Product Engineer

Takuto Sato added, "The challenges in the Cloud Village CTF closely mirrored issues we encounter in our everyday work, allowing us to leverage our hands-on experience effectively. Cloudbase actively participates in various international conferences such as DEF CON, Black Hat USA, AWS re:Invent, and Microsoft Ignite to keep abreast of cutting-edge information. This challenge was a continuation of that commitment, and for next year, our aim is to enhance our team dynamics and strive for victory. Our learnings from this experience will be applied to our products and client support, continually driving forward our mission of influencing Japanese businesses on a global scale."

Honoka Mukai, Software Engineer

First-time CTF participant Honoka Mukai shared her thoughts: "As I participated in the Cloud Village CTF, it was a valuable opportunity to experience the perspective of a security engineer. Although I focused mainly on front-end development as a software engineer, engaging in this contest allowed me to understand security challenges deeply. While I feel frustrated about not achieving higher results, this experience underlined the importance of learning from an attacker’s viewpoint to address security issues more effectively. The insights gained will unblock new ideas to be incorporated into our products and support for our customers. Moving forward, I aspire to continue evolving my expertise and contribute to our mission of creating an era where Japanese companies can change the world."

About Cloudbase Inc.

Founded in 2019 by Akitsu Iwasa, who has a background in engineering, Cloudbase Inc. offers a comprehensive security platform that monitors and manages risks related to using various clouds, including AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and Oracle Cloud.