US Cyber Games Launches a Cyber Open and Combine to Find the Best Cybersecurity Athletes for the Inaugural US Cyber Team | Press Release | US Cyber Games

Government and corporations team to launch a nationwide search for top talent in cybersecurity

April 20, 2021 - WASHINGTON, DC - Today marks the kickoff of the inaugural US Cyber Games™ led by Katzcy, in cooperation with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The program will run from April to October 2021 and consist of the US Cyber Open, the US Cyber Combine Invitational, and the selection of the first-ever US Cyber Team™ to represent the United States at the 2021 International Cyber Security Challenge (ICSC) held in Athens, Greece, in December.

The need for cybersecurity professionals has never been greater and continues to grow. Partnering to launch the US Cyber Games is just one of NICE’s initiatives funded to support strategic goals, including to promote cybersecurity careers and transform learning to build a diverse and skilled cybersecurity workforce. The games will utilize NICE’s Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity and help drive research on effective practices for cybersecurity workforce development.

The US Cyber Games will identify the very best in cybersecurity through the following process:

• US Cyber Open: Applicants ages 18 to 26 from across the nation will compete in a two-week Capture the Flag (CTF) competition consisting of a series of virtual cybersecurity challenges, where they will be scored in multiple cybersecurity areas.
• US Cyber Combine Invitational: 60 athlete players will be invited to participate in a number of virtual learning games and programs over eight weeks. During this qualifying phase, athletes will undergo an aptitude for cyber evaluation, interview with multiple coaches, and perform in an advanced CTF qualifier round.
• US Cyber Team of drafted cybersecurity athletes: 20 top cybersecurity athletes will be selected for the inaugural US Cyber Team to represent the United States at the ICSC in December 2021. 

A Call for Coaches will run until June 1, 2021. Cybersecurity experts and leaders from academia, government, and corporations are encouraged to apply to be part of the all-volunteer 2021–22 US Cyber Coaching Team. Applications are being accepted at uscybergames.com.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for the US Cyber Team training, equipment, and travel and are vital to the success of our US Cyber Team. For more information, visit uscybergames.com or contact the US Cyber Games program coordinator. 

This inaugural, year-long program will be run by Katzcy, a woman-owned marketing and cybersecurity games company with extensive experience in identifying and recruiting cybersecurity talent and in directing epic cybersecurity games. Through our PlayCyber line of business, Katzcy is helping build a stronger and more diverse community of cybersecurity athletes by delivering the world’s most exciting cyber games experience. Previous Katzcy cybersecurity events include Cyber Carnival Games, Cyber Games Summit, Uniting Women in Cyber 2019, WalkOff Consortium, and the Wicked6 Annual Tournament. Katzcy CEO Jessica Gulick explains, “Cyber games are our passion. We view them not as just events, but as a fundamental element to competency development for the next generation of a diverse and well-qualified community of cybersecurity talent.”

This project is supported by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), a program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce, under financial assistance award #70NANB21H032.