Quantum computing is increasingly delivered as a hybrid computing service. A classical client builds a circuit; compiler and intermediate-representation layers rewrite it; a cloud scheduler selects physical resources; control and readout systems execute the job; and classical software interprets probabilistic results. Every transition creates a trust boundary.
Most quantum-security education focuses on the security implications and applications of quantum computing. QSec addresses the complementary question: how do we secure quantum computers, their architecture, and the quantum machine learning applications built on top of them?
In this competition, teams will attack and defend intentionally vulnerable quantum workflows. Challenges will cover cloud-job and result integrity, multi-tenant leakage, adversarial inputs, backdoors, model extraction, and attacks on aggregation and coordination mechanisms in quantum federated learning. The emphasis is on concrete security reasoning and reproducible exploits rather than on solving large quantum algorithms.
This track offers a hands-on and accessible approach to emerging quantum security challenges through practical attack-and-defense tasks with measurable outcomes.
 
A successful submission will include:

1. Correct flags and checker receipts for each solved challenge.
2. Reproducible exploit or defense artifacts, such as scripts, notebooks, patches, model files, or query logs.
3. A concise write-up for each solved challenge explaining the threat model, vulnerability, exploit path, evidence, and recommended mitigation.
4. A final presentation that synthesizes the team's approach, cross-layer insights, tool usage, and lessons learned.