The largest cyber security challenge in New Zealand was held at the University of Waikato recently with students from around country preparing to hack, learn and solve their way to virtual glory – and a decent prize pool.
Following a nationwide ‘Capture the Flag’ competition last month, 150 participants were invited to Hamilton to attend the flagship event, now in its 9th year.
The grand prize winners – Team Covid-Brain consisting of Ava Rider, Leon Bowie (both studying in Wellington) and Jamie McClymont (CyberCX) from Wellington – took away the $1500 prize as well as a free course for certification through Offensive Security for each team member, valued at around US$5000 in total.
Waikato University Computer Science senior lecturer Dr Vimal Kumar says the talent and ability of the participants gets better each year.
“This year we had a high school student from Wellington who wound up competing on his own, without his team members. However, he held his own and took out the High School prize in a hard-fought tie-breaker with a team from Christchurch.”
Dr Kumar says the variety of challenges, the ability to network and learn from industry experts, and the chance to extend their own knowledge made the weekend a great experience for everyone involved.
“The secret to being effective in the cyber security space is being adaptable. Things are rapidly evolving in cyber security, so we don’t focus on tools but more about the underlying foundations. Tools come and go but the ability to think, creatively solve problems and adapt will keep us ahead of the game.”
With a desperate lack of numbers in the cyber security workforce, Dr Kumar says, the challenge is an ideal opportunity for teaching and recruiting the talent of the future.
“Right now, we have a skills gap, particularly in cyber security. This event provides a platform for students to showcase their skills and be visible to their peers and to industry.”
Dr Kumar says Waikato University predicted the skills shortage a long time ago – that prediction prompted the creation of New Zealand’s first Master of Cyber Security alongside the country’s first Cyber Security Lab.
“We took steps to fill the shortage but demand has massively outstripped supply. The Covid pandemic and border closure has exacerbated this to some extent, as we would usually rely on international expertise coming in. This has impacted the job market, which is a benefit to people in the country with fresh graduates often securing close to $100k salaries.”
