Students from Next Tech Lab (NTL), SRM University-AP, Amaravati, have earned international recognition by securing 3rd place at the HackSecureX International Hackathon 2026, held on January 16–17, 2026.
NTL 3rd year B. Tech, Computer science and engineering (CSE) members Rajat Kumar Singh and Shruthi Bhagawan, represented the university at the global event, which was organised in collaboration with leading international institutions, including the University of Texas at El Paso (USA), University of Piraeus (Greece), University of South Florida (USA), and SUNY Polytechnic Institute (USA).
Competing against more than 280 shortlisted teams from 14 countries, the team impressed the global jury with their innovative solution addressing challenges at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and cyber law, aligned with the theme “Code. Comply. Conquer.” Their achievement was recognised with a cash award of USD 250 and an official Winner’s Certificate.
The team developed Privy, a privacy-policy intelligence framework designed to address a common but critical issue—users agreeing to privacy policies they do not fully understand. The solution automatically analyses privacy policy documents and clearly identifies what user data is collected, how it is used, and the legal frameworks governing it, including regulations such as GDPR. By simplifying complex policies into accessible insights, the tool aims to strengthen digital transparency and user awareness.
Reflecting on the experience, Rajat Kumar Singh shared that the team intentionally focused on solving a widely overlooked yet impactful problem. Instead of relying on superficial complexity, they prioritised clarity, accuracy, and real-world relevance to design a meaningful solution aligned with the hackathon’s evaluation criteria. He added that the team plans to further develop Privy into a scalable, deployable system that organisations can integrate into their workflows to improve accountability and transparency in privacy practices.
Shruthi Bhagawan highlighted that the success was driven by hands-on preparation in cybersecurity, strong collaboration, and mentorship support from Next Tech Lab. She noted that the experience strengthened their aspiration to build impactful solutions at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and cyber law that foster digital trust.
This accomplishment reflects the dedication, technical expertise, and innovation culture nurtured at Next Tech Lab and SRM University-AP, reinforcing the institution’s growing global presence in cutting-edge technology research and development.