SANS Institute and RBC Launch SANS Cyber Quest CTF to Develop Greater Vancouver’s Next Generation of Cybersecurity Talent

Bethesda, MD, September 22, 2026 — SANS Institute, the global leader in cybersecurity training, today announced a collaboration with Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) to launch SANS Cyber Quest CTF, a 72-hour virtual Capture the Flag competition, at no cost, designed to give university students and early career cybersecurity professionals in Greater Vancouver, Canada, a gamified, hands-on experience tackling real world cyber threats.

While Canada has seen the highest level of cybersecurity job postings in nearly two years, only 4.1 percent were classified as entry or junior-level positions. It is more important than ever for the next generation of talent to gather as much hands-on experience before they enter the workforce to set themselves apart from other applicants. This competition, backed by one of Canada's largest financial institutions, directly addresses that need.

Up to 500 participants will work through challenges cybersecurity professionals face in their roles. The gamified format gives participants room to try new approaches, test instincts and learn from mistakes without real-world consequences. The challenges are built around threat detection, SOC operations, and incident response, reflecting the threats organizations face today.

“Cybersecurity skills are built through practice, especially when students and early-career professionals must think critically and respond under pressure. SANS Cyber Quest CTF, powered by RBC, gives the next generation of cyber defenders a safe environment to test their instincts, solve realistic challenges, and learn from failure. As AI continues to change the speed and sophistication of cyber threats, this type of hands-on experience is essential to preparing emerging talent for the challenges they will face in the workforce,” said Kajal Shelat, Director of Mission Business Development at SANS Institute.

The competition will be followed by an in-person awards reception hosted by RBC, where top performers will receive prizes and have the opportunity to network with industry professionals.

Prizes will be awarded across multiple tiers. The top 50 participants will receive SANS Skills Quest, hands-on cyber range platform access. The top 15 will also receive full training access to SEC275: Foundations of Computers, Technology, and Security, along with a GFACT certification opportunity. SANS will administer all prize eligibility, notification, and fulfillment.

"Every organization today is defending against threats that no longer follow a playbook. Advanced technologies such as AI have given threat actors the ability to create, deploy, and adapt sophisticated attacks faster than defenders can keep pace. Competitions like this give early-career cybersecurity professionals practical, hands-on experience that builds real judgment under pressure. This initiative reflects a shared commitment between our organizations to directly invest in Canada's cybersecurity workforce pipeline," said Adam Evans, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, RBC.

Registration will be open from Tuesday, September 22 to Monday, October 19 at 11 a.m. PT, with the competition running from Thursday, October 22 to Sunday, October 25.

Students and early career professionals interested in participating can register at no cost here. Space is limited to the first 500 registrants.

About SANS

The SANS Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. Today, SANS is the most trusted and, by far, the largest provider of cybersecurity training and certification to professionals in government and commercial institutions worldwide. Renowned SANS instructors teach more than 85 courses at in-person and virtual cybersecurity events and OnDemand. GIAC, an affiliate of the SANS Institute, validates practitioner skills through more than 50 hands-on technical certifications in cybersecurity. The SANS Technology Institute, a regionally accredited independent subsidiary, offers master's and bachelor's degrees, graduate certificates, and an undergraduate certificate in cybersecurity. SANS also delivers a wide variety of free resources to the InfoSec community, including consensus projects, research reports, webcasts, podcasts, and newsletters; it also operates the Internet's early warning system – the Internet Storm Center. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners representing varied global organizations, from corporations to universities, working together to support and educate the global information security community.

About RBC

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 105,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 19 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.‎

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com.