Cybersecurity professionals from across the globe are gearing up for Standoff 14, the world's premier cyberbattle, taking place online from November 26 to 29. This groundbreaking competition challenges participants to test their skills in realistic scenarios that simulate critical cyberthreats faced by industries worldwide.

In June 2024, a spin-off event of the Standoff cyberbattle was held as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. It featured 42 teams from 21 countries across Central and South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Building on this momentum, 60 red teams from 26 countries, including Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and nations from the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, have already applied to compete in November. The online format enables hundreds of offensive and defensive security experts from nearly every continent to come together for this landmark event.

Standoff 14 is set to usher in a new era of international cyber exercises. Red teams (attackers) from around the world will showcase their tactics by simulating attacks on the event's cyberrange infrastructure. Meanwhile, blue teams (defenders) from Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia, and Ethiopia will test their investigation and remediation skills by responding to these incidents.

The cyberrange they will operate on was specially designed to replicate IT and OT systems vital to sectors such as electric power, oil and gas, banking, and information technology. This immersive environment enables competitors to demonstrate their skills, refine their ability to detect vulnerabilities, and strengthen defenses against sophisticated cyberattacks. Red teams will be tasked with triggering critical events as they compete for prizes from a $50,000 pool.

A dedicated streaming studio and analytics center will deliver real-time coverage throughout the competition. Each evening, hosts will break down the day's most exciting moments, joined by cybersecurity experts, infrastructure developers, and team members to share their analysis and behind-the-scenes strategies.

With cyberthreats escalating worldwide, Standoff 14 takes on critical importance. In 2024 alone, cyberincidents surged by 15 percent year-on-year in Q3, with dramatic spikes like a 46 percent rise in India during Q2 and a threefold increase in the Middle East during Q1, driven by regional tensions.

While the public sector remains the top target for cybercriminals globally, the focus of attacks varies by region. In India and the Middle East, industrial enterprises are frequently targeted, whereas in Africa, financial organizations face the greatest threat. In this context, training cybersecurity professionals and fostering international knowledge-sharing are more vital than ever. Standoff provides a high-stakes platform for experts to gain hands-on experience in combating real-world cyberattacks, strengthening defenses, and enhancing global collaboration.

"Since the first Standoff eight years ago, our cyberbattles have built a strong reputation within the expert community, not only in Russia but across the globe. We have always emphasized the importance of sharing expertise among specialists from different countries," said Alexey Novikov, Managing Director of Positive Technologies.

"Cybercrime is a global issue, and ethical hacker communities must transcend borders. At the same time, cybersecurity services need a deeper understanding of the diverse tactics and techniques employed by attackers worldwide. In 2019, Standoff was held outside Russia for the first time, in Abu Dhabi. This year, we are proud to host our second international cyberbattle, featuring fully international red teams. We are eager to share our extensive expertise with them."

Since 2016, Positive Technologies has transformed Standoff into a platform that is globally recognized for advancing cybersecurity expertise. The event took a major leap forward in 2020 with the launch of its first large-scale cyberrange exercises in Moscow, paired with a specialized online conference. Now held twice a year—once as part of the Positive Hack Days international cyberfestival in spring and again as a standalone competition in autumn—Standoff has become a cornerstone of the global cybersecurity calendar. Over eight years, it has drawn more than 4,500 experts from 30 countries, forming 200 teams, and helping 400 companies fortify their defenses against evolving cyberthreats.