Cyber Competition Team
We spent time with the Cyber Competition Team earlier this week. What is the Cyber Competition Team?
As a group and as individuals, the Cadets on this team compete in different types of Computer puzzles and problems.
There are three main styles of Competitions that they are involved in. Capture The Flag (CTF), Defense Competitions and Mixed-Mode (Attack/Defense.)
Capture The Flag - Involves a large number of problems (machines with vulnerable services, vulnerable web sites, encrypted files). Each problem has a file called a “flag”, which is turned in for points (by breaking into the machine, decrypting the file, etc.)
Defense Competitions – Each team is given a network to defend against a neutral red team.
Mixed-Mode – Each team is given an identical network, and both attacks other teams and defends their network.
The CCT Cadets practice 8 hours a week and they compete in roughly 15 competitions every year. Most right here at USAFA, but some they have to travel for. This week, 2 teams of 4 Cadets each will be traveling to Conneticut for a competition.
So far this year they've had three competitions. In August they placed 37th and 48th out of 336 Teams (Teams of 4) in CTF against Iceland. In September in CTF against other schools within the US and Canada they placed 17th out of 301 Teams. And so far in October in another competition of CTF against other Service Academies here in the US they placed 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th out of 136 Cadets and Midshipmen.
Very impressive!
To see the pictures of some of the Cadets on this team, go to Galleries - Extracurricular - Cadet Clubs. Or click the link below.