Cardinal codes its way to the crown

Cardinal codes its way to the crown
by Staff Writers
Palo Alto CA (SPX) May 19, 2023

In a stunning digital showdown, Stanford University's Cyber Team successfully defended their way to their first victory in the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NCCDC), a contest simulating cyberattacks to test students' ability to safeguard networks.

In a world where cybercrimes cost victims over $10.3 billion in 2022, as reported by the FBI, the demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals is increasingly crucial. This victory underscores the pivotal role these competitions play in shaping the next generation of cyber defense experts.

The NCCDC, sponsored by Raytheon Technologies, is the largest competition of its kind in the U.S., offering college students a robust platform to test their cybersecurity prowess. The event provides hands-on, real-world experiences, effectively preparing the students for careers in cybersecurity.

Celebrating its 18th year, the 2023 competition drew more than 1,500 competitors from 178 collegiate teams from across the nation. Competing in regional contests, ten teams were selected to advance to the nationals, where they were tasked with protecting the network infrastructure of a fictitious medical facility in Colorado that had recently acquired two clinics.

Scholarships of $1,000 each were awarded to eligible Historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Asian and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, and tribal colleges and universities. The funds covered regional registration fees, travel costs, and necessary resources for competition training. This year, five universities were the recipients of these scholarships.

A substantial force of over three dozen Raytheon Intelligence and Space employees volunteered their time and expertise to work alongside competitors and organizers, performing a variety of roles. These included securing networks, mentoring students, scoring the contest, and, interestingly, hacking systems.

By hosting NCCDC, Raytheon Technologies continues to demonstrate its dedication to fostering, inspiring, and hiring the emerging generation of cyber defenders.

Stanford's winning cyber team will embark on a victory tour to Washington D.C., meeting with high-ranking cybersecurity professionals and policymakers from government, military, and industry.

Other schools showcasing strong performances in the competition included Dakota State University (At-Large region), University of Virginia (Mid-Atlantic region), DePaul University (Mid-West region), Northeastern University (Northeast region), Oregon State University (Pacific Rim region), Brigham Young University (Rocky Mountain region), University of North Florida (Southeast region), University of Texas Austin (Southwest region), and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Wildcard region), the latter securing the runner-up position.

This cyber defense competition underlines the growing importance of robust cybersecurity skills in today's digital age. Stanford University's success in this high-stakes showdown serves as an inspiration to aspiring cybersecurity professionals everywhere.