CybersecurityFirst puzzle of U.K Cyber Security Challenge competition cracked
The United Kingdom suffers from a dearth of cybersecurity experts; several private and public organizations have launched the Cyber Security Challenge competition — a series of challenges and games that would test the talent and skills of people; the challenges is built around eight key skill areas which include digital forensics, network analysis and logical thinking; enthusiasts claim they have already solved he first test of the challenge
National Cybersecurity Challenges help bring forward the budding talent that will be depended on in the future // Source: indiabuzzing.com
Enthusiasts claim to have already solved the first test in the Cyber Security Challenge U.K. hunt for would-be cyber-security experts. The challenge, consisting of a series of online and face-to-face competitions, was launched by U.K. security minister Baroness Neville-Jones on Monday.
The challenge is intended to inspire talented individuals to take up the fight against cybercrime as a career, addressing the growing skills shortage in the area (“U.K. launches competition to find cyber security experts,” 29 April 2010 HSNW).
John Leyden writes that the first two official competitions include an online treasure hunt that involves identifying vulnerabilities on a test website and a network defense exercise. Other competitions in the pipeline include a digital forensics test.
To whet appetites, the Cyber Security Challenge launched a code breaking puzzle. Participants in a Facebook group claim to have solved the opening (prelude) cyber puzzle, which involves making sense of the binary border on the puzzle page.
Leyden writes that more than 1,700 registered on the opening morning of the competition. Some have already solved the opening cipher, competition organizers have confirmed, in an update to the official cyber-challenge Twitter account, saying: “Those who sent cipher answers: Thx for amazing response. Lots right. Lots wrong. We will mail everyone by end week 2 confirm which they r!”
Some of the competitions will include age-graded competitions so that sixth graders and schools compete against their peers instead of university post-grads. Those that get through the first (online) phase of each competition will progress to face-to-face playoffs that will decide the winners in each competition and age group.
Leyden notes that a total of thirty prizes are promised during the competition’s overall run. Prizes include internships at net security companies, funded courses at the SANS Institute, places at the Detica Cyber Security Academy, and university bursaries. The scheme has the support of private security firms, such as Sophos and QinteQ, as well as the government.
More details on the various competitions, and how to enter, can be found on the cyber-security challenge website here.
