Cyber Security Challenge Open For Registrations

The Cyber Security Challenge UK has opened its gates to allow a new influx of would-be cyber-security champions to enter the arena. Details of the initial competitions have been posted to the organisation’s website.

The annual competition is in its second year and last year was won by Dan Summers, a Wakefield postman – showing that the field is open to anyone, not just security professionals. Summers was showered with rewards of courses and treats that may well have set him on track for a new career.

The Thinking Person’s Apprentice

Financed by government funds and private sector sponsorship, the competition is the thinking person’s version of Alan Sugar’s Apprentice TV programme – a test of brains rather than egos. Competitors enter individually or in teams to crack the online puzzles. The successful combatants then meet up to compete with each other on an individual basis and in teams that blend the skills of the players for much more difficult and devious challenges devised by the sponsoring companies.

This year sees seven of last year’s platinum sponsors signing up again, with some increasing their support. New to the platinum level is SAIC, a provider of scientific, engineering, systems integration and technical services, which will be helping the others to set the competitions.

“Having witnessed the success of the inaugural Cyber Security Challenge UK, SAIC is excited to join a superb team and sponsor the upcoming Challenge,” commented Robert Giesler, senior vice president for Cyber Programmes at SAIC. “We are looking forward to using our CyberNexs training and simulation platform to add another brand new dimension to the competition that broadens the experience for competitors.”

Many more valued gold and silver sponsors have also committed their support which means that this year’s prizes will exceed the number and scope of last year.

The beginning of the second year also marks the launch of the new Cyber Security Challenge UK Website, designed by Ultimate. This is where anyone can register for CSC UK or to view information about IT security as a career.

Judy Baker, director of the Cyber Security Challenge, said the new site will improve on the information made available last year.

“We have received many questions seeking information, and lots of feedback, on last year’s registration process,” she said. “We have taken this all on board and our new site is now ready for candidates to register for this year’s competitions. In time, it will also provide more information about how to get onto the first step of the ladder leading to a career in cyber security.”

Enhanced Challenges

The pathway to the Masterclass final, the climax of the competition which will take place early next year, is now open. The organisers have promised that the challenges will be more searching and that there will be a few surprise mini-tasks along the way.

James Lyne, director of technology strategy at sponsor Sophos, said, “Last year was a huge success in terms of identifying new talent and also introducing careers in the security industry as a real option to many people who had perhaps previously not considered it or thought they were not ‘good enough’. We’ve taken candidate feedback on both the challenges and the registration process into account and this year’s new and enhanced challenges aim to make the whole experience even more fun and to test an even greater number of skills.”

The organisers are expecting a greater uptake in the present climate of government focus on cyber-security and the high-profile exploits that show how necessary security-awareness is. Many new candidates will step forward but there will also be a number of last year’s combatants re-entering to test their skills against them.