Tejas DefendAI : Global AI Security Hackathon (Sept 1st - Sept 8th)

Tejas Global AI Security Hackathon 2026 Build the defenses for the agentic era. One week. One global community. Hosted by Tejas Cyber Network : September 1 to September 8, 2026 (8 days) Virtual-first and global, with optional in-person jam sitesThe AI security landscape changed faster in the first half of 2026 than most teams could keep up with. Agentic systems moved from demos into production. The Model Context Protocol became the connective tissue for AI tooling, and with it came more than 40 disclosed CVEs in the first four months of the year alone. Red teams discovered new classes of failure: tool abuse, excessive agency, supply-chain compromise, feedback-loop poisoning, and autonomy escalation. Defenders are now playing catch-up against a moving target. Tejas Cyber Network is bringing the global security community together to do something about it. The Tejas Global AI Security Hackathon is a one-week, vendor-agnostic, build-and-break sprint focused entirely on the security and safety of AI systems. We are inviting practitioners, researchers, students, founders, and security leaders from every region and every experience level to form teams, pick a track, and ship something real: a tool, an attack technique with a defense, a benchmark, a detection, or a framework that moves the field forward. This is not a vendor pitch competition. It is a working community of defenders building in the open. Whether you are a first-time participant looking to break into AI security or a seasoned CISO who wants to get hands-on again, there is a place for you here. Focus domains (tracks) Pick one track. Each comes with example project ideas to get you started, but you are free to propose your own within the track. Track 1: Agentic AI Red Teaming and Defense The attack surface of autonomous agents that plan, use tools, and act on their own. Track 2: MCP and Agent Supply-Chain Security The fastest-growing and least-secured layer of the AI stack. Track 3: AI for Cyber Defense (Blue Team and SecOps) Turn AI into a force multiplier for defenders, not just a new risk. Track 4: AI Safety and Security Evaluations and Benchmarks You cannot defend what you cannot measure. Track 5: AI Infrastructure and Model Supply-Chain Integrity Security from the training pipeline through model weights to deployment. Track 6: Frontier and Dual-Use Safeguards The hard problems where AI security meets critical and emerging domains. Track 7: Open and Wildcard Have an AI security idea that does not fit a box? Pitch it. The best work often comes from the edges. Details for participants Who should join Everyone. The hackathon is open to all, consistent with the Tejas community ethos: global, vendor-agnostic, and open. Students, early-career engineers, researchers, founders, and senior security leaders are all welcome. No prior AI security experience is required to participate. Curated starter resources are provided per track. Format What to submit Run of the Show (Day/Date/What happens) Day 1 - Tue, Sep 1 : Kickoff, keynote, track briefings, team formation opens Day 2 - Wed, Sep 2: Team finalization, mentor office hours begin Days 3 to 5 - Thu Sep 3 to Sat Sep 5: Core build period, daily office hours, track deep-dive sessions Day 6 - Sun, Sep 6 : Build continues, midpoint check-ins Day 7 - Mon, Sep 7: Final build day, submission deadline at end of day Day 8 - Tue, Sep 8: Judging, live demos, awards, and showcase Judging criteria Recognition and prizes (Sponsor-backed cash prizes, credits, and tooling to be confirmed as sponsors are announced.) Responsible-use rules This is a defenders' community. To keep it that way: Starter resources Mentorship and office hours Daily mentor office hours run throughout the build period, drawing. Track leads will host deep-dive sessions to help teams scope, build, and ship. Tejas means friend and ally, and it means strength from within. Bring both. We will build the defenses for the agentic era together. Convenor - Anshu Gupta, Founder Tejas Cyber Network Co-Chairs