The birds are chirping, schools are letting out, the sun is shining, and springtime cybersecurity competitions like CyberPatriot and the National Cyber League are now in the rearview mirror. As the summer heats up, so does the cyber calendar, giving cyber enthusiasts a lot to be excited about in the coming months. We’ve teamed up with our partners at CYBER.ORG to make sure you stay in-the-know on some of the best opportunities to keep the skills you’ve learned over the 2022-23 school year sharp.
The US Cyber Games (USCG) program returns! And as is the case with each Season, the USCG virtual kick-off event will launch its Season III campaign. This virtual kick-off event, scheduled for Thursday, June 1st, will feature a series of keynotes, guest speakers, and panel discussions that you won’t want to miss. From there, registered cyber athletes will take their shot at running up the leaderboard in either the Beginner’s Game Room or Competitive Capture-the-Flag (CTF). All ages and levels of proficiency are welcome. The Beginner’s Game Room will run from Friday, June 2nd through Monday, June 12th, and the Competitive CTF will run from Monday, June 5th to Monday, June 12th. The best part: It’s all FREE! If you’d like to learn more about cybersecurity competitions and games, and the US Cyber Games program overall, don’t miss our upcoming virtual info sessions on Wednesday, May 17th or Thursday, May 18th.
Teachers looking to inspire the next generation of cybersecurity professionals can download our poster and get their students involved early in cyber games.
“The US Cyber Open is one of my favorite events of the year,” says Brad Wolfenden, director of cyber sports at Katzcy PlayCyber. “It’s phenomenal to see thousands of cyber athletes come together to participate in the games. And as much as I love watching the cyber ninjas solve complex challenges to lock in the top spot, hearing from true beginners about how much fun they had solving their first-ever CTF challenge is priceless.”
For those ready for more competitive action, or that are striving to be on the Season III, US Cyber Team, make sure to complete your US Cyber Combine application. This invite-only portion of the Season III campaign will run July 7th-September 1st, and feature talented cyber athletes as they demonstrate both their technical and interpersonal skills through individual, small group, and team-based work, interviews, and more.
EDCon is a national conference designed to inspire and empower novice and expert K-12 cybersecurity educators alike. This year's event is taking place at the Mesa Convention Center in Mesa, AZ, June 20-22, 2023. Attendees will learn ready-to-implement lessons from CYBER.ORG curriculum developers, explore no-cost resources from industry experts, and gain firsthand knowledge from K-12 educators who teach foundational and technical cybersecurity.
If you’ve ever wanted a taste of what cybersecurity competitions as a sport are like, played in an eSports arena, at an Olympic level, the International Cybersecurity Championships & Conference (IC3) is for you. The second-ever International Cybersecurity Championships will be held in San Diego, CA from August 1st through 4th, 2023. Cyber athletes ages 18-25 years old from more than 65 countries will converge on the IC3 to compete on regional teams in both a CTF and Attack/ Defense competition for their chance to take home the trophy (and some MAJOR bragging rights!). In addition to the competitions, PlayCyber will host a hands-on expo space for cybersecurity game and platform vendors, and the conference track will feature world-class speakers from around the globe. Fans can participate either in-person or via live streaming (more information to come).
And of course, no summertime cybersecurity checklist would be complete without mentioning the likes of BlackHat and DEF CON. As one of the world’s premier cybersecurity conferences (BlackHat) and “Hacker Summer Camp” (DEF CON), many cyber enthusiasts and professionals alike will head to Las Vegas, NV in mid-August to cap off their summertime fun at these events.
The US Cyber Games are led by Katzcy in cooperation with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), a program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce, and supported under financial assistance award #70NANB22H102. It’s mission is to bring talented cybersecurity athletes, coaches, and industry leaders together to build a US Cyber Team® for global cybersecurity competition.
As a certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB), Katzcy is dedicated to growth, innovation, and progress. Through their PlayCyber business line, Katzcy is helping build a stronger and more diverse community of cybersecurity professionals by delivering exciting cyber games experiences. Katzcy’s mission is to bring together and inspire the very best cybersecurity athletes and build a stronger and more diverse community by delivering the world’s most exciting cyber games for players, fans, and sponsors. Visit https://www.katzcy.com to learn more.