Safeguarding Southeast Asia: Innovating Against Cybercrime 2025

Safeguarding Southeast Asia: Innovating Against Cybercrime 2025

Room: R189

Time: 9:00 to 18:00, 25 October 2025

Organizer: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology – RMIT University

Side Event Description: RMIT University’s Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation, in partnership with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, seeks to host a Hackathon on alongside the signing of the United Nations Convention against Cyber Crime in Hanoi, 25-26 October 2025.

In the digital age, cybercrime—including fraud, scams, and digital deception—poses a growing threat to individuals, businesses, and governments worldwide. Recognising the urgency of the issue, Vietnam will host the 2025 signing of the UN Convention Against Cybercrime in Hanoi, an event that underscores the importance of international cooperation in addressing cyber threats. This milestone presents an opportunity to engage the region’s technical talent, and policy thinkers through a collaborative and educational Hackathon initiative. The Hackathon would be hosted at the convention both on the 25th and 26th of October, allowing attendees to witness regional innovation and community solutions to cybercrime in real time.

Participants will compete to innovate solutions designed to protect the Southeast Asian community from cybercrime. Their proposed solution can take the form of a website, an app, or something else that Southeast Asian countries, people, national or civic organisations can utilise, share, collaborate, educate or use to protect themselves from cybercrime.  The most promising four to five solutions will be developed at the in-person Hackathon event (25th-26th October). The teams will develop and demonstrate their solutions live to a panel of judges on the 26th October.  This is an incredible opportunity for participants to showcase their skills and work together to create lasting solutions for the region.

All travel and accommodation expenses for participants will be covered by RMIT University.  Alongside the sponsorship from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, RMIT University has partnered with iSPACE and Crime Stoppers International to host this event.

Expected Participants: 36-70 people