Multi-laboratory cyber defense competition
“It’s no secret that the most worrisome threat we face in the energy sector is cyber. A successful and talented work force is step one to strong energy sector cybersecurity preparednessand coordinated cyber incident response and recovery,” said Devon Streit, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration within the DOE’s OE. “We’re proud to support this competition that nurtures top talent and exposes them to rewarding opportunities in cybersecurity. I would also note that accelerating the research and developmentof resilient energy delivery systems is also critical.”
In the two previous years that the competition has been held, students have acknowledged the many ways the competition has helped develop their skills and careers. This has galvanized some students on the path towards a cybersecurity career.
“[My experience at the cyber defense competition] solidified my decision to continue working in cybersecurity as it’s very much needed in today’s ever-connected world,” said Oliver Hui, a student who landed a job doing cybersecurity research for the U.S. Navy following his experience in the competition.
In other cases, the competition experience may result in a pivot into a cybersecurity career for students who might have otherwise gone in a different direction.
“[These competitions] really do make an impact on those who participate and give a small peek into what the cyber industry might look like in worst-case scenarios. It’s also a heck of a lot of fun,” said Daniel Stempniewicz, an undergraduate student who switched his degree focus to Windows Operating System internals and Cybersecurity after participating in the competition. Lastly, the chance to build excitement, confidence and camaraderie is unmatched.
“The competition was truly an interesting and unique experience. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world. While the win was amazing and unexpected by me, I had a lot of fun working with my peers before and during the actual competition,” said Shawn Kim, a master’s student studying computer science who says he gained better teamwork and observation skills through the competition.
2018 marks the third installment of this competition. The first two competitions were hosted by Argonne National Laboratory. At this year’s event, the stakes are even higher. The event will span the nation and bring in the greatest number of students the competition has ever seen.
“It’s encouraging to see the growing support for this competition; we’ve received a lot of positive feedback. Clearly, students see the value of the learning opportunity it provides, and our sponsors see the value in being able to engage with promising talent,” said Argonne cybersecurity expert Nate Evans, who founded the competition.
