Cybersecurity is getting a lot of mainstream media attention after multiple recent damaging attacks on US infrastructure. The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education partnered up with TikTok to create an esports-style competition for aspiring cyberprofessionals to show off their talent.
The partnership will allow the US Cyber Team to compete in both domestic and international competitions. The events started in May with the US Cyber Open, where 18-to-26-year-olds of all levels joined a free two-week long competition to earn an invitation to the US Cyber Combine Invitational, which is similar to a physical sports combine where scouts find candidates.
US Cyber Games Commissioner and Katzcy CEO Jessica Gulick stated in an interview with VentureBeat that many of the competitions are styled after the Capture the Flag tournaments that take place at the Defcon, which is being held this week in Las Vegas. In those competitions, teams race against time and each other to find security flaws the fastest.
Cyberathletes had to complete an aptitude evaluation and they’re training weekly in advanced competitions. More than 688 people reportedly participated in the May event. The official Draft Day for the US Cyber Team is October 5, where the top 20 cyberathletes will be picked for the first US Cyber Team from a field of about 75 people.
After that, the team will train together as they prepare to represent the U.S. at the inaugural International Cybersecurity Challenge (ICC) in December. At least nine nations will compete in Athens, Greece in challenges spanning web application and system exploitation, cryptography, reverse engineering, hardware challenges, forensics, and escape rooms. They will work on cybersecurity with coaches on things like network security or internet of things security.
Cybersecurity, as a (science, technology, engineering, and math) STEM discipline, has been identified as one of the most serious challenges facing countries around the world. The nonprofit Center for Cyber Safety and Education predicts the gap between qualified cybersecurity professionals and unfilled positions will reach 1.8 million by 2022. Participation in STEM fields is critical to enhancing opportunity for individuals, developing a stronger global workforce, and inspiring creativity to shape the future.