Cyber defense competition at KSU
As anyone who’s ever worked on a networked computer knows‚ the lost productivity caused by…
Georgia (Apr 10, 2006) — Cyber defense competition at KSU
Karen Kennedy
Abstract
Contact: Frances Weyand‚ Director of University Relations‚ 770−423−6203 or fweyand@kennesaw.edu
As anyone who’s ever worked on a networked computer knows‚ the lost productivity caused
by network glitches can make computer users and administrators long to go back to
living in a cave. For teams of students from throughout the Southeast‚ however‚ glitches
just make life interesting.
One Friday in March‚ seven student teams participating in the first Southeast Collegiate
Cyber Defense Competition inherited computer networks with a number of servers that
they were expected to update‚ maintain and secure. The catch: All systems had been
misconfigured due to “the incompetence of the previous security team.”
The student teams spent Friday afternoon shaping up their networks in order to defend
their information when experts from Internet Security Systems and PricewaterhouseCoopers
arrived Saturday to probe‚ attack and harass the student teams and their networks.
Kennesaw State University’s Michael Whitman‚ director of the Center for Information
Security Education‚ who coordinated the event‚ said‚ “While similar to other cyber
defense competitions in many aspects‚ the Southeast Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition
is unique in that it is focused on the operational task of assuming administrative
and protective duties for an existing commercial network.”
The competition‚ hosted by Kennesaw State‚ included student teams from Chattahoochee
Technical College; Kennesaw State University; Southern Polytechnic State University;
University of Alabama‚ Birmingham; University of Louisville; University of North Carolina‚
Charlotte; and University of South Florida.
KSU faculty scored teams based on their ability to detect and respond to outside threats‚
maintain availability of existing services such as mail servers and Web servers‚ respond
to business requests such as the addition or removal of services and balance security
needs against business needs. The student team from the University of North Carolina‚
Charlotte emerged victorious‚ with the University of South Florida and Southern Polytechnic
finishing second and third respectively.
“Following the success of this event‚ it is our hope for KSU to host the national
competition in upcoming years‚” Whitman said.
For more information on the SECCDC‚ contact Michael Whitman at mwhitman@kennesaw.edu or 770−423−6005.
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Kennesaw State University is a comprehensive‚ residential institution with a growing
student population of 18‚500 from 132 countries. The third largest state university
out of 35 institutions in the University System of Georgia‚ KSU offers more than 55
undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
