NT takes aim at national hacker comp

A competition showcasing the skills of the nation’s future cyber security experts will be held over a gruelling 24 hours at universities throughout Australia including Charles Darwin University.

Four teams comprising 16 CDU School of Engineering and IT students will compete in the Cyber Security Challenge Australia today and tomorrow (10 and 11 May).

CDU IT lecturer Dr Bharanidharan Shanmugam, who has expertise in information and network security, said cyber attacks were indiscriminate and could affect anyone.

“While the top targets for attack are military or finance institutions or any other industry, hackers can impact anyone’s life if they open the wrong email or follow the wrong link,” Dr Shanmugam said.

He said that with threats on the increase, companies were looking for cyber security experts.

“The competition is a way we can introduce students who are interested in a career in cyber security to the types of challenges they may face, and the skill-set required,” he said.

“It will test their technical and communication skills to give them a sense of what it’s like to work as a cyber security professional and may also get their name in front of future employers.”

During the competition the students will receive information and scenarios where they will need to solve multiple challenges by hacking into faux corporate networks to conduct penetration tests, or detect security threats and exploit them. Once they complete one challenge they move on to the next. The first team to complete all tasks will win the competition.

Dr Shanmugam extended his thanks to CDU’s School of Engineering and IT staff, and also to the Australian Information Security Association Darwin Branch for their support in training students in the lead-up to the competition.

The event, coordinated by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, will be held across Australia from 10 to 11 May. The 24-hour event at CDU will begin at 12 noon on 10 May on Casuarina campus, Purple 12.3.23.

The major prize includes flights, accommodation and entry to DEFCON 2017 (one of the world’s largest cyber “white hat” hacking conventions held each year in Las Vegas) for the winning team, courtesy of Hacklabs. http://cyberchallenge.com.au/