UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — On March 16, approximately 45 Penn State students gathered in the Westgate Building to compete in a three-hour Cyber Wi-Fighter Hacking Challenge hosted by the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Army cyber team in collaboration with the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST).
In a capture-the-flag format, participants were challenged to decipher clues and answer questions with varying degrees of difficulty, gaining points and “flags” for each correct answer. Liam Geyer, a first-year student studying cybersecurity analytics and operations, achieved the most points to win the competition.
For Richie Thompson, a second-year student studying computer science, the challenge was his first exposure to offensive cybersecurity concepts.
“I got to explore these concepts with a mix of other beginners, individuals with a higher level of experience, and of course, the soldiers who set up the event and have real industry experience,” Thompson said.
The cyber division of the Pennsylvania National Guard is a small team with a big mission. This challenge was aimed at promoting the National Guard’s Cyber Operations career options to Penn State students interested in cybersecurity.
“It’s surprising, but many people really don’t understand what the National Guard is, what we do or what we have to offer,” said Army Staff Sgt. Richard Hess, who earned an associate’s degree from the College of IST in 2001. “We have numerous benefits that can assist students with college, preparing for their future careers and more. This is an opportunity to get the word out and start a conversation.”
Sean Smith, a 2009 alumnus of the College of IST and member of the Pennsylvania National Guard who helped bring the challenge to Penn State, said they are working to expand their ranks of cybersecurity professionals.
Current Penn State ROTC Cadet Ganesh Denduluri, a third-year student studying cybersecurity analytics and operations, looks forward to applying what he learned in the challenge as he prepares for his future career in the Army and civilian cybersecurity fields.
“It was a good experience that will prepare me and has given me a better idea of what I need to learn before heading into the industry,” Denduluri said.
Students reported to Hess that they enjoyed the event and learned something new, reinforcing the impact of the annual event and its personal significance to him.
“As a Penn State IST graduate myself, this is an opportunity for me to give back and possibly have a positive impact on someone’s life,” Hess said. “I’m here to help the students achieve their goals and grow. If I am able to help one individual as a result of this event, then it was a win in my book.”