The 2025 Cyber Threat Defender (CTD) Design Your Own Card Challenge is here – running October 1–31!
This year’s challenge introduces an exciting twist: all submissions must focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its role in cybersecurity. Whether it’s the opportunities AI creates or the risks it poses, we want to see how you bring these ideas to life through a custom CTD card design.
And for the first time ever, the first-place winning design will be featured in an upcoming AI-themed CTD Booster Pack—giving your work a permanent place in the game’s future!
Community members, students, and anyone over age 11 are welcome to participate. Past winners have seen their creations added to Cyber Threat Defender: Digital, and this year’s entries will continue that tradition—appearing in the digital game and potentially beyond.
Check out previous winning cards below for inspiration, then start crafting your own design to help shape the next evolution of Cyber Threat Defender!
About
The CIAS accepted submissions for the 2025 Cyber Threat Defender Custom Card Challenge from October 1-31, 2025.
Whether designing a defense, attack, asset or event card, you may only enter one card. In addition to the winning cards being added to CTD Digital, they may be adapted and integrated into an upcoming booster pack!
The top place finishers will also receive:
- First Place: Final card design added to future AI-themed booster pack. Four Cyber Threat Defender Starter Decks, two Booz Allen Booster Packs, two CrowdStrike Booster Packs, two Personnel Booster Packs, two Advanced Threat Booster Packs, two GulaTech Data Care Booster Packs, two Cyber Threat Defender game mats and more!
- Second Place: Two Cyber Threat Defender Starter Decks, two Booz Allen Booster Packs, two CrowdStrike Booster Packs, two Personnel Booster Packs, two Advanced Threat Booster Packs, and two Cyber Threat Defender game mats
- Third Place: Two Booz Allen Booster Packs, two CrowdStrike Booster Packs, two Personnel Booster Packs, two Advanced Threat Booster Packs, and two Cyber Threat Defender game mats
Winners
Cameron Carroll, 14
1st place winner 2024
Jakorey Robinson, 14
2nd place winner 2024
Damien Lafargue, 15
3rd place winner 2024
2023
Andrew Flores, 16
1st place winner 2023
Sophia Tolly, 16
2nd place winner 2023
Hector Beltran, 17
3rd place winner 2023
2021
Janin Glaser, 13
1st place winner 2021
Jacob Peralta, 14
2nd place winner 2021
Ahmad Alsmadi, 14
3rd place winner 2021
Judging
This contest is judged by the Cyber Threat Defender game developers and CIAS staff. Cards are judged on:
- Theme: How well the card fits within the Artificial Intelligence theme and its relevance to cybersecurity.
- Synergy: Cards shouldn’t just be designed well, but they should play well in the game’s starter deck and other booster packs. Make sure you understand how your card plays well with others!
- Card Type Appropriateness: Cards should properly represent the card type they’re in (i.e., Asset, Defense, Attack, Event).
- Rarity Appropriateness: While card submissions are expected to be unique from existing cards (see full list of cards here), some cards may be duplicated for ultimate effects (e.g., an ISP Connection card allows for two Desktop Assets to attach to it). Feel free to include comments with your submission about the card’s rarity appropriateness.
Remember, both the card design and game mechanics (in other words, how well the card plays in the game) must be compatible with the Cyber Threat Defender Starter Deck.
How to Enter
Emailed submissions may be provided as PDF, JPEG, PNG or EPS files and can be sent to cias@utsa.edu. Entries may also be submitted by mail to the contest office:
Center for Infrastructure Assurance & Security
Attn: Larry Sjelin
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX 78249
Only one submission is accepted per person ages 11 and up. All entries, whether by email or mail, must be received by 11:59 p.m. CST, October 31, 2024.
Submissions that do not include a completed entry form will not be accepted. All cards must include a custom design, point value, definition of card type in the real world and rules for how the card must be played in the game.
Note: The CIAS withholds the right to make any edits, corrections, updates to the winning design(s) of any card added to the Cyber Threat Defender inventory of cards within the Starter Deck, CTD: Digital or current/future booster packs.
To enter, download and review/use the following forms:
- Cyber Threat Defender Card Design Contest Rules
- Cyber Threat Defender Card Design Contest Entry Form & Guidelines
- Cyber Threat Defender Card Template (This template is optional. You may submit artwork and content in other formats.)
The winning design(s) will be added to CTD Digital. Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to see the winning designs or download CTD Digital at CyberThreatDefender.com!
For more information or questions about the contest, please contact Julina Macy at Julina.Macy@UTSA.edu.
