Our country urgently needs more cyber professionals. Yet, too few students choose to study in this domain. “It’s a shame, because a career in cyber security is full of opportunities and challenges,” says Vincent Defrenne. So NVISO took a novel approach to spark interest in cyber security: a competition, that for years the Coalition has been sponsoring. “The Cyber Security Challenge is specifically aimed at students and is based on the Capture the Flag principle, in which complex assignments must be solved in groups of four. Various aspects are discussed, such as cryptography, network security, and secure web and mobile applications.”
2024 marked the competition’s 10th edition, and interest has been increasing year after year. “Our first Challenge had 250 students participating; last year there were more than 850. It’s an impressive turnout, especially when you consider that most participants are not majoring in cyber security," Vincent explains. “So we are clearly succeeding in our aim. After all, it is also our intention to give those who have never come into contact with cyber a first glimpse into this domain. The competition can be a revelation for them.”
A stepping stone to the workplace
NVISO pulls out all the stops for the Challenge. In addition to a strong dose of realism, the assignments have a high fun content. “Our partner companies help devise the assignments, because we want to give students a taste of what awaits them in practice,” Vincent explains. “We not only want to increase awareness of cyber security, but also create a community in which young talent comes into direct contact with potential employers. In this case, these are not HR managers, but cyber professionals who deal with the topic on a daily basis.”
During their assignments, the students work closely with the cyber experts. “This allows them to immediately experience what it is like to be on the work floor, making the experience all the more unique.” For the companies themselves, the Cyber Security Challenge offers an opportunity to see young talent in action, and guide and inspire them. “After the competition, the companies may also connect with all participants. This opens the door to further discussions or even concrete collaborations. For many of the students, this can be the first step towards an internship, traineeship or a first job in the sector.”
An extensive prize package
Team Hastur, affiliated with UCLouvain, won the 2024 competition. Their reward? A trip to the prestigious DefCon hacking conference in Las Vegas and an exclusive SANS training: one of the most renowned cyber security training courses. “But the prizes are not the main motivator for participants. The entire competition is an unforgettable experience, especially for the 150 competitors who make it to the final weekend. Not only do they have access to an exclusive job fair, they can also attend a networking dinner with numerous professionals,” concludes Vincent Defrenne.