21 Aug 2014
The GCHQ and Cyber Security Challenge have launched a new competition that will task contestants to ward off a series of simulated cyber attacks against a fictional aerospace firm, in a bid to recruit the next generation of infosec professionals.
The competition, codenamed Assignment: Astute Explorer, is the latest stage in the ongoing Cyber Security Challenge UK, which opened for entries in May. The competition requires contestants to help combat attacks from a fictional "Flag Day Associates" hacker group.
The latest stage of the challenge will see contestants take the role of GCHQ cyber experts working to spot vulnerabilities in "Ebell Technologies'" defences, which could be exploited by the Flag Day Associates.
Specifically the challenge will see competitors analyse various "snippets" of code that may contain vulnerabilities, explain why and how they could be exploited and finally suggest appropriate fixes.
Deputy director for the National Technical Authority for Information Assurance Chris Ensor said the competition has been designed to be as realistic as possible to ensure successful candidates have the potential to pursue a career in information security.
"GCHQ, as the UK's National Technical Authority for Information Assurance, is pleased to have been able to develop an original game for the Cyber Security Challenge," he said.
"We have designed Astute Explorer to really test candidates' cyber security skills. At GCHQ, like many other high-tech organisations, we recognise the need for a skilled workforce, which is why we are delighted to once again support the Cyber Security Challenge to inspire the next generation of Cyber Security talent."
The Cyber Security Challenge is an initiative sponsored by the UK government that is designed to discover untapped talent that has been running since 2010. The 2014 Cyber Security Challenge was won by 19-year-old student William Shackleton in March.
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