Before flying out, we kicked things off with a remote teaching week with online sessions to get students ready for the week ahead. My own pre-week lecture focused on the basics of network analysis, because, let’s face it, there is no “cyber” without it.
The on-site week in Kaunas was packed with lectures, workshops, cultural day, and plenty of laughter between sessions. Alongside me were four fantastic colleagues: Paulius Baltrušaitis (the mastermind and main organizer), Johan van den Broek (OSINT enthusiast), Tobias Fertig (blockchain wizard), and Raimonda Melngaile (expert on the legal and ethical side of hacking). With great help from Rita Kmitė, we guided 18 students from TAMK (Finland), XAMK (Finland), Thomas More (Belgium), Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences and Arts, and THWS (Germany) through a week full of intense hacking.
My own session focused on network traffic analysis using Wireshark, a tool every ethical hacker should have in their tools. We explored how to analyse packets, track suspicious activity, and see what’s really happening inside the network. The students were quick learners and eager to experiment.
The week culminated in a Wireshark Capture the Flag (CTF) competition where students raced to solve cybersecurity-related challenges. The competition was fierce, the atmosphere buzzing, and the results spectacular! Congratulations to Brent, Jaakko, and Samantha, who claimed the top spots and eternal bragging rights.
The feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the hands-on tasks, the international teamwork, and, of course, the after-hours activities.
Looking back, the Kaunas BIP wasn’t just about technical skills. It was about collaboration, curiosity, and community, the three Cs of any successful international project. Watching students from five universities learn, share, and laugh together reminded me why international education is so valuable.
And who knows—maybe next year’s BIP will take us even deeper into the cyber jungle. Just remember: hack responsibly, document everything, and never underestimate the power of a well-structured Wireshark display filter.
Hack to Learn!
Text and photos: Ville Haapakangas, assisted by generative AI.
More info: ville.haapakangas@tuni.fi
