Competitions and the Cyber Talent Pipeline

Transcription

1 Competitions and the Cyber Talent Pipeline The National K12 Cyber Education Conference October 6, 2016 Diane G. Miller, CCP Director, InfoSec Operations & Identity Management Director, Global Cyber Education & Workforce Development Programs

2 Topics Introduction Why Cyber Competitions? CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Competition Summary 2

3 Requirement: A Qualified Cyber Workforce National cybersecurity can t exist without a strong and indigenous cyber workforce We aren t graduating enough engineers, technologists, scientists, mathematicians, cyber experts and others from the STEM disciplines Global projections signal a 1.5 million shortfall in information security professionals in 5 years Recent study claims that a cyber attack on the electric grid could rack up $1 trillion on losses We must motivate our youth to pursue STEM paths 3

4 Why Cyber Competitions? Awareness Training Academia / Industry / Government Collaboration Professionalization 4 Competitions are one Successful Way to Fill the Cyber Talent Pipeline

5 Competitions in Awareness Basic cyber awareness for everyone! Early exposure to cyber in a fun, engaging environment Individual self-paced game play Attract diverse participation - - no barriers Identify and discuss cyber touch points in every day experiences Basic skills development 5 CyberPatriot Elementary School Education Initiative Sparks Excitement!

6 Competitions as Training Formal Classroom Instruction Competition format to present a variety of cyber information Competitions to test understanding and competency Conducive to individual and group settings Embedded in all subjects in the curriculum Informal Training Opportunities After-school programs (computer club, CyberPatriot team) On-line gaming and competition challenges Competitions teach technical and life skills Ethics, Collaboration, Leadership, Communication, Teamwork, Problem-Solving, Risk Management, Decision-Making, Time Management, Resiliency... 6

7 Competitions as Training (cont.) 7 Wide Variety of Cyber Competitions Individual: Typically involves reviewing materials and then taking a test to measure knowledge. Participants may be grouped by age, skill area, geographic area, etc. US Cyber Challenge, Cyber Aces, National Cyber League (NCL) Team: Prepare with written, hands-on materials and perhaps live instruction; may be integrated with academic curriculum; local competition typically virtual; regional and national competitions may be in-person. CyberPatriot, Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC), NCL Type: Some focus on defensive cyber activities identification and eradication of vulnerabilities; others include offensive activities penetrate and/or harm others computers/systems Capture the Flag: Attack / Defense or Jeopardy DEF CON, Panoply National Initiatives for Cybersecurity Competitions The Cybersecurity Competition Federation (CCF) is a network of stakeholders which provides value for our collective endeavors while maintaining the autonomy of individual competitions. The National Cyber League (NCL) provides an ongoing virtual training ground for collegiate students to develop, practice, and validate their cybersecurity skills.

8 Academia / Industry / Government Collaboration for Competitions Academia Provide infrastructure and resources to conduct competition Ensure learning objectives and governance Align with curriculum Encourage student-defined competition Reach out to local / regional / state Government and Industry Industry Share ideas, concepts that align with business priorities and needs Provide business cases and data for real-world perspective Sponsorship, scholarships, volunteers and internships Government Promote competitions as means to attract students and businesses Sponsorship, scholarships and internships 8 Collaboration engages all stakeholders to develop talent

9 Competitions for Professionalization Enable continued professional development in many skill areas Support skills development to achieve and maintain certifications Earn recognition for achievement 9

10 CyberPatriot Overview CyberPatriot is the largest and fastest growing national youth cyber education program designed to excite, educate, and motivate the next generation of cyber defenders (and other STEM grads) critical to our nation s future security Created and led by the Air Force Association Program Objectives: Promote basic cybersecurity education and understanding Provide a fun and exciting competitive team experience Enhance team-based leadership, communication, and cooperation skills Teach defensive techniques; no offensive operations 10 CyberPatriot provides students the opportunity to gain handson, practical knowledge that prepares them for post-secondary education and jobs in cybersecurity

11 CyberPatriot Overview (cont.) Program Objectives: Promote basic cybersecurity education and understanding Provide a fun and exciting competitive team experience Enhance team-based leadership, communication, and cooperation skills Teach defensive techniques; no offensive operations CyberPatriot provides students the opportunity to gain hands-on, practical knowledge that prepares them for post-secondary education and jobs in cybersecurity 11

12 CyberPatriot Team Registration Growth 12 3,701 total teams registered as of 10/3/2016

13 The CyberPatriot Competition 13 Real-time, online, qualification rounds are designed to test each team s ability to find and remediate vulnerabilities in their network Online rounds are six hours in length; conducted over a 36-hour window Each team will start the competition with identically misconfigured networks Teams must defend against red team attacks by reconfiguring the network they ve been given, repairing holes in their firewall, implementing security policies, closing any open/vulnerable ports, and taking preventive measures The teams are assessed points by the automated scoring system Team placement is based on performance

14 Team Eligibility and Requirements Youth up to age 18 Average team size two six students Each team must have an adult Coach who is verified by the school or organization Each team may also have adult Technical Advisors and Mentors; at the discretion of the Coach Teams may be from any type of recognized youth organization with a formal policy regarding youth safety public, private or home schools; youth groups; scout troops; Boys & Girls Club; YMCA/YWCA, etc. 14

15 15 CyberPatriot IX Competition Timeline

16 Competition Tiers and Advancement Open Division All Service Division Middle School Division 16

17 Getting Started: Resources Needed Identify Team Coach Pay registration fee* and Register the Coach Covers all direct costs, including transportation, food, and lodging for teams qualifying for the in-person competitions. Provides licenses for Microsoft Academic Alliance Developer software package Participant kits (shirts, certificates, etc.) for up to ten competitors per team If schools are unable to raise the registration fee, they can apply for a grant from Northrop Grumman Determine resource availability Teams will need computers, internet access, and a place to practice 17 * Registration Fee: $195 per high school team; $155 per middle school team

18 Resources 18 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) DHS National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition National CyberWatch Center cyberwatchcenter.org CyberPatriot (The National Youth Cyber Education Program) Northrop Grumman Careers (AFA CyberPatriot Program) (Northrop Grumman)

19 Summary Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are fun subjects that lead to exciting careers! Many opportunities exist to continue your education and challenge your skills in cybersecurity all leading to greater opportunity for employment in cyber-related professions We need a stronger workforce in the STEM subject areas to protect our nation s security and the lifestyle we enjoy become part of the solution! 19

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21 CyberPatriot Diversity 21 Source: CyberPatriot Student Alumni Survey Report

22 CyberPatriot Youth Impact Current High School Students 78% of high school CyberPatriots surveyed who plan to pursue a four or two year degree will do so in cyber, computer science or STEM. This compares with the national average of 14.2% 22

23 CyberPatriot Youth Impact (cont.) High School Graduates 88% of CyberPatriots currently pursuing a higher education degree are doing so in the STEM fields, compared to national average of 14.2% 23

24 CyberPatriot Youth Impact (cont.) High School Graduates: Current Career Field and Employment Sector 24

25 CyberPatriot Youth Impact (cont.) 25