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Exploit3rs Cybersecurity Academy today announced that 23 finalists will compete in the ADNOC AI Hackathon final at ADIPEC 2026, held on 4 November at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi. Winners will be recognised at an awards ceremony on 5 November. More than 420 cybersecurity professionals from UAE government entities registered for the competition, which focuses on energy-sector security, AI-driven threats and critical infrastructure defence.
A Simulated Energy Network, Purpose-Built for Training
For the final, Exploit3rs has designed HELIOS, a fictional energy network created as a safe training environment. HELIOS operates in a fully isolated lab, is not connected to any operational systems, and is not based on any real-world infrastructure.
Finalists will have four hours to identify and exploit its built-in vulnerabilities. This exercise reflects the same skills cybersecurity defenders need to anticipate, detect and prevent real-world attacks on critical infrastructure.
| “Exploit3rs built a complete simulated energy infrastructure environment, intentionally vulnerable, <a href="https://middleeastdaily.net/qashio-launches-global-pay-with-visa-offering-rewards-across-50-travel-partners/”>with a single purpose: to give the UAE’s government cyber professionals a safe place to attack it. On 4 November at ADIPEC, the best of them will step inside, with the clock running. That is how you build defenders who understand exactly what they are protecting.”
— Juma Alshamsi, Founder and CEO, Exploit3rs Cybersecurity Academy |
Four Hours, Solo, Then the ADIPEC Stage
The final is a four-hour individual contest. Each finalist competes alone, with a live scoreboard tracking progress throughout. The winners will be honoured on stage at the awards ceremony on 5 November, with prizes for the top three.
From More Than 420 Registrations to the Final
The competition focuses on energy-sector security, AI-driven threats and critical infrastructure defence.
Round one ran online from 12 to 15 October on Hacking Dungeon, the Exploit3rs training platform, and featured eight hands-on challenges.
Built End-to-End by Exploit3rs
Exploit3rs delivers the competition from registration to final, including the online qualifier, the hands-on challenges, the simulated energy infrastructure environment and the live scoreboard at ADNEC. All scenarios are purpose-built for training and are fully isolated from any operational systems.