The Cyber Security Challenge UK’s new cyber security bootcamp, held at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham, is being delivered by a number of the UK’s most prestigious cyber defence companies including PWC, GCHQ and the National Crime Agency, to help attendees gain foundation skills and confidence to take their first steps into the cyber security profession.
Today’s assessment, devised by cyber security operatives from GCHQ, will see candidates take on the role of a cyber-team battling to overcome the threat of a cyber-terrorist group. Under the guidance of mentors from GCHQ and other industry experts, as well as previous Challenge candidates, the camp recruits will be assessed on their ability to run penetration testing as part of a full security assessment of the web application, in order to identify the vulnerabilities that may have been exploited by the attackers.
Stephanie Daman, CEO, Cyber Security Challenge UK: “Last year’s inaugural Cyber Camps showed the demand from amateurs to be given the opportunity to break into this field. The Camps give everyday civilians the chance to see what it’s really like to work as a professional in this sector and what’s involved in defending the UK from ever-growing cyber attacks. Talented individuals get to learn from the best in the industry and by receiving a qualification for their efforts, they are given a genuine career-enhancing experience. This sector needs more people with talent and skills and it is very rare for the door to be opened up to outsiders – all of those involved will have had a truly unforgettable experience.”
The final stage of the Camp will see candidates sit their first professional qualification – the Certificate in Information Assurance Awareness (CIAA) – free of charge, courtesy of InfoSec Skills and their examination providers the Global Certification Institute (GCI). Camp attendees who perform particularly well will also take home places on the new CESG accredited Cyber Scheme Team Member course.
The Cyber Security Challenge UK began in 2010 as three competitions run by a small group of supporters from industry, government and academia to address the growing skills gap in the UK cyber security profession. The cyber camps are a more recent addition to the Challenge competition programme.
Anyone interested in testing their own cyber security skills from home can register for the latest Challenge virtual competitions here – https://cybersecuritychallenge.org.uk/registration/
