Home | US Cyber Games

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Do you have what it takes to bring home the gold?

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Ready to take cyber gamification to the next level?

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Disruptive innovators? Step right up.

US Cyber Open Kick-Off

Call for Athletes and Coaches Opens

Athletes

Cybersecurity skills are in huge demand in the workplace. If you’re interested in seeing how well you’re prepared to join one of the hottest job areas, apply to compete in the US Cyber Open and request to be invited to the US Cyber Combine. You could make the Season II US Cyber Team and compete on a global level.

Coaches

As an expert in cybersecurity, we’re looking to you and the coaching staff to guide our cyber athletes across multiple domains and cybersecurity topic areas as well as teamwork, problem-solving, communicating, and leading. Through your leadership, you will cultivate a new game-based learning and development strategy that will prepare the US Cyber Team for global competition and help build tomorrow's cybersecurity workforce.

Call for Coaches Deadline to Apply

June 3, 2022, 11:59 PM ET

US Cyber Open Virtual Kick-Off Event

June 30, 2022

11:00 AM–5:00 PM ET

This LIVESTREAM event will include:

Information about the US Cyber Games & first-ever US Cyber Team
Highlights from the 2022 International Cybersecurity Competition
Panel discussions on gaming, pathways to cyber, and high-performing teams
Information on the CTFs you will be playing

US Cyber Open CTF

July 1–10, 2022

Deadline to register to play is July 4, 2022, 11:59 PM ET

US Cyber Combine Virtual Kick-Off Event

July 28, 2022

2:00 PM–4:30 PM ET

This LIVESTREAM event will include:

Highlights from the US Cyber Open CTF
An introduction to the Season II Coaching Team and Support Crew
An industry keynote and panel discussion

US Cyber Combine Invitational

August 5–September 5, 2022

By Invitation Only

US Cyber Team Draft Day

October 17, 2022

We're planning something incredible and will share more information the closer we get to the event date.

The US Cyber Team Competes at the International Cybersecurity Competition (ICC)

Date & Location TBD

Redefine Paradigms

Cybersecurity games help a growing number of individuals realize that cybersecurity goes beyond initial thoughts of IT security controls by delving deeper into motives, tactics, techniques, and multi-pivot strategies. It helps us see that cybersecurity is about motives not just controls.

Drive More Diversity

Games remove the stigma of stereotypes associated with cybersecurity and open a path for players from all kinds of backgrounds, nationalities, education levels, and age groups to learn and grow. This infusion of diverse skills and mindware will contribute to up-leveling our cybersecurity workforce.

Go Beyond Technical

Games adjust to all skill levels and types. While red versus blue remains a favorite format, today's games can also be focused on policy, forensic puzzles, clue-based escape rooms, and jeopardy questions. This variety trains the workforce for defense in depth and breadth to enable comprehensive risk strategies.

Increase the Talent Pool

Today's games can be played across a wide variety of digital platforms with some games only requiring a cell phone to participate. This ubiquitous access enables an extended population of individuals from all age groups, economic backgrounds, and skill levels to learn, compete, and grow.

Immersive Training Experience

Today's cyber strategies are about more than just finding needles in haystacks, they are about visibility into and across the surface of the haystack. Unlike traditional classroom teachings and labs, games can provide more real-life, immersive experiences that help athletes experience indicators and threats, and respond through hands-on application of tools, techniques and mitigations.

Safe Places to Attack & Defend

Ever wonder why, after spending millions of dollars trying to address the cyber workforce gap, it remains years later? Security professionals lack the ability to test and stretch their skills and learn a new environment with different defenses and threats. Games offer safe and legal environments to experiment, train and learn amongst peers and mentors.

Teamwork, Sportsmanship, and Strategy

While Hollywood likes to emphasize the lone hacker taking over the world, the reality is that cyber attack and defense are team activities. Both benefit from the power of a community-based team effort by choosing to share, contribute, and collaborate to achieve a goal or just learn something new.

In their Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity, the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) recognizes that those performing cybersecurity work—including students, job seekers, and early professionals—"are lifelong learners throughout their efforts to emphasize and address cybersecurity implications across many domains.” (NICE Framework)

The US Cyber Games is designed to apply the NICE Framework from the start to identify, assess, select, and form the US Cyber Team.

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