Aspiring cyber defenders battle it out in GCHQ competition

Sam Shead September 3, 2014

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1. Simulated cyber attack

Contestants were tested by GCHQ last Friday to see if they have what it takes to protect their country from online attacks. The testing was carried out as part of a "cyber camp" being run by a government-backed body called Cyber Security Challenge UK.

2. Skills and confidence

The cyber camp, held at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham, was delivered with the help of a number of cyber defence companies to help attendees gain the skills and confidence required to take their first steps into the cyber security profession.

3. Experts help candidates beat hackers

To prepare them for the test, the camp recruits took two days of training from some of the country’s leading cyber security experts.

4. Flag Day Associates

Security operatives from GCHQ asked candidates to overcome an online attack staged by cyber terrorist group, the Flag Day Associates.

The simulated incident was reported by the central security team at Parliament Square, a large central London meeting and conferencing space known to host classified meetings of high secrecy and sensitivity.

5. Application compromised

The team confirmed that the web-based application that controls their intelligent building management software had been targeted and successfully compromised. Under the guidance of mentors from GCHQ and other industry experts, the camp recruits were assessed on their ability to run penetration testing as part of a full security assessment of the web application, in order to identify the vulnerabilities that may have been exploited by the attackers.

6. A word from the boss

Stephanie Daman, CEO, Cyber Security Challenge UK: “The camps give everyday civilians the chance to see what it’s really like to work as a professional in this sector and what’s involved in defending the UK from ever-growing cyber attacks. Talented individuals get to learn from the best in the industry and by receiving a qualification for their efforts, they are given a genuine career-enhancing experience. This sector needs more people with talent and skills and it is very rare for the door to be opened up to outsiders – all of those involved will have had a truly unforgettable experience.”

Aspiring cyber defenders battle it out in GCHQ competition

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