Cybersecurity Competitions
National Cybersecurity Competitions
US Cyber Challenge: Cyber Quests - Cyber Quests are a series of fun but challenging on-line competitions allowing participants to demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of information security realms. Each quest features an artifact for analysis, along with a series of quiz questions. Some quests focus on a potentially vulnerable sample web server as the artifact, challenging participants to identify its flaws using vulnerability analysis skills. Other quests are focused around forensic analysis, packet capture analysis, and more. The quests have varying levels of difficulty and complexity, with some quests geared toward beginners, while others include more intermediate and ultimately advanced material. https://uscc.cyberquests.org/
DEF CON - DEF CON (also written as DEFCON, Defcon or DC) is one of the world's largest and most notable hacker conventions, held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada. The first DEF CON took place in June 1993 and today many attendees at DEF CON include computer security professionals, journalists, lawyers, federal government employees, security researchers, students, and hackers with a general interest in software, computer architecture, hardware modification, conference badges, and anything else that can be "hacked". The event consists of several tracks of speakers about computer- and hacking-related subjects, as well as cyber-security challenges and competitions (known as hacking wargames). Contests held during the event are extremely varied, and can range from creating the longest Wi-Fi connection (aircrack-ng) to finding the most effective way to cool a beer in the Nevada heat. https://www.defcon.org/
NYU-CSAW (Cyber Security Awareness Week) - Designed as an entry-level CTF, this competition requires players to integrate concepts, develop skills, and learn to hack as they go. Challenges mimic real-world scenarios modeling various computer security problems. To succeed, teams must demonstrate a profound understanding of the roles and ramifications of cyber security in these situations. Topics include Pwnable, RE, Web, Crypto, and Forensics. https://csaw.engineering.nyu.edu/ctf
Southeast CPTC - The Collegiate Penetration Testing Competition (CPTC), has grown from one region (ten teams) to five regions (fifty teams) including an international region as well. The CPTC provides a vehicle for up and coming cybersecurity student teams to build and hone the skills required to effectively discover, triage and mitigate critical security vulnerabilities. This competition is unique in offering a simulated environment that mimics real world networks. The competition focuses on improving the security posture of a fictitious organization and reporting on risks in a manner that is similar to a real professional environment. https://nationalcptc.org/
National Cyber League - The National Cyber League (NCL) is a biannual cybersecurity competition for high school and college students. The competition consists of a series of challenges that allows students to demonstrate their ability to identify hackers from forensic data, break into vulnerable websites, recover from ransomware attacks, and more. Students compete in the NCL to build their skills, obtain scouting reports of their performance for hiring purposes, and to represent their school. https://www.nationalcyberleague.org/
Facebook Capture the Flag Competition - A Capture the Flag (CTF) event is a computer security competition that encourages players to solve security puzzles in a safe and controlled environment. The goal of these events is to further the education of security professionals and to promote Facebook's security culture. CTFs typically consist of challenge "levels" that represent real security issues found in networks and systems. The players will compete with each other, often in teams, to see who can solve these levels first and thereby win valuable points to progress up a leader-board. At the end of the game the team with the most points is declared the winner. https://github.com/facebook/fbctf
Department of Energy CyberForce Competition - The Department of Energy (DOE), capitalizing on the expertise of current national laboratory staff that previously hosted four successful cyber defense competitions to exercise interactive, scenario-based events, where teams engage in cybersecurity activities includes methods, practices, strategy, policy, and ethics. Through the CyberForce Competition™, DOE has worked to increase 1) hands-on cyber education to college students and professionals, 2) awareness into the critical infrastructure and cyber security nexus, and 3) basic understanding of cyber security within a real world scenario. https://cyberforcecompetition.com