World’s Largest Cyber Security Games Coming to BGU
World’s Largest Cyber Security Games Coming to BGU
August 9, 2017
Markets Insider — The world’s biggest student-run cyber security event will get even bigger this year: Cyber Security Awareness Week (CSAW) is expanding to Ben-Gurion University.
BGU will be one of five global hubs for the event’s signature competition – the Capture the Flag (CTF) hackathon. This cornerstone challenge attracts upwards of 10,000 remote players each year and pits teams against one another to solve various cyber problems. Winners can walk away with cash prizes, scholarships and more.
Prof. Bracha Shapira
CSAW Israel is organized by BGU’s Department of Software and Information Systems Engineering, Cyber Security Research Center and the IBM Cyber Security Center of Excellence, which is located in Beer-Sheva’s Advanced Technologies Park, adjacent to BGU’s Marcus Family Campus.
“I believe that the new CSAW initiative is a great opportunity for the advancement of cyber security research at BGU,” says Prof. Bracha Shapira, head of the Department of Software and Information Systems Engineering.
In 2012, BGU became the first Israeli university and one of the first in the world to offer graduate study tracks in cyber security. The IBM Cyber Security Center of Excellence at BGU, established in 2014, is home to an influential team of IBM security researchers and engineers who investigate emerging cyber threats and solutions in collaboration with BGU researchers.
The IBM Cyber Security Center of Excellence at BGU was established in 2014, giving IBM security engineers and BGU researchers the ability to collaborate.
“The launch of a new CSAW hub at Ben-Gurion University reflects the spirit of the collaborative innovation between IBM and the University,” says Dr. Yaron Wolfsthal, director of the Center.
“This latest introduction of the local CTF competition in Beer-Sheva makes our partnership even more influential in establishing Israel as a cyber security leader.”
The CSAW games were founded by Prof. Nasir Memon of the NYU Tandon Department of Computer Science and Engineering and his students. In addition to participating in the games, students will be able to network with top professionals who serve as judges, hear experts address emerging issues and meet recruiters eager to fill positions in the field.
“Since data knows no borders, and national boundaries offer no impediment to attackers, data security is indeed a global issue,” says Prof. Memon. “Collaboration is critical. A key challenge will be cultivating new data-security talent to meet demand.
“CSAW’s expansion to Israel and four other global hubs is an acknowledgment of the important role white-hat competitions play in cultivating that talent worldwide.”
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