April 6, 2023 - ASHBURN, VA - The US Cyber Games®—a yearlong program led by Katzcy®—in cooperation with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is excited to announce the launch of Season III of the US Cyber Games (https://www.uscybergames.com/).
The US Cyber Games is an organization committed to informing and inspiring the broader community on ways to develop tomorrow's diverse cybersecurity workforce. The mission of the program is to bring together top cyber athletes, coaches, and industry leaders to help scout, train, and send a US Cyber Team® to international competitions.
“For our third season in recruiting top talent from US colleges and universities to compete internationally, we are upping our game with even more training camps, global games, and corporate matches,” says Jessica Gulick, US Cyber Games Commissioner. “We are actively reaching out to every US industry to create a support ecosystem of sponsors, donors, mentors, coaches, and talent to build a thriving pipeline of talent for future games. Cyber sports is a growing phenomenon that will propel our nation to higher levels of cyber engagement and learning by players and fans alike.”
Through the US Cyber Games program, cybersecurity athletes are building confidence, improving skills, and becoming better prepared for careers in cybersecurity. The program recruits, trains, mentors, and prepares the very best in cybersecurity through the following process:
From June 2–12, 2023, athletes will compete in a free Capture the Flag (CTF) competition consisting of virtual cybersecurity challenges, across a variety of cybersecurity domains (cryptanalysis, forensics, PWN/binary exploitation, and reverse engineering). The US Cyber Open also includes a Beginner’s Game Room for those not quite ready to participate in the competitive CTF but are interested in learning. Winners will be identified for each challenge domain and for overall scores. Prizes will be awarded.
From July 7–September 1, 2023, a diverse set of selected cybersecurity athletes ages 18 to 24 will be invited to participate in a number of virtual learning opportunities, hands-on exercises, and competitions. During this qualifying phase, athletes will undergo a cybersecurity aptitude assessment, interview with multiple coaches, and perform in an advanced CTF qualifier round.
Top athletes from the Season III US Cyber Combine will be invited onto the Season III US Cyber Team to represent the United States at a variety of global scrimmages and the International Cybersecurity Challenge taking place in 2024.
“Learning methods and experiences such as cybersecurity competitions can contribute significantly to growing and sustaining the cybersecurity workforce,” says Rodney Petersen, the Director of NICE. “Programs such as the US Cyber Games and International Cybersecurity Challenge provide a fun and safe mechanism for countries across the globe to practice and demonstrate skills as well as collaborate on discovering techniques to combat cybersecurity risks.”
Individuals and organizations are encouraged to get involved in the following ways:
The US Cyber Games is seeking experts from corporate, government, and higher education, across various disciplines in cybersecurity to guide our cybersecurity athletes in technical skill development, teamwork, problem-solving, communication, and leadership. Coaching positions include technical mentors and assistant coaches. Applications are currently being accepted through April 30, 2023: https://www.uscybergames.com/apply-to-coach.
US citizens ages 16 to 24 are invited to register to play in the US Cyber Open Capture the Flag (CTF) taking place June 5–12, 2023. While anyone is welcome to play in the CTF, athletes interested in being part of the next US Cyber Team are encouraged to do their best in the CTF and request an invitation to the US Cyber Combine. Athletes should apply before June 9, 2023, at https://www.uscybergames.com/register-to-play to compete in the US Cyber Open where they will showcase their skills, develop new ones, double down on their preparation to jump into one of the hottest job markets, and perhaps qualify for the Season III US Cyber Team.
The US Cyber Games is seeking organizations that share in their overall mission to bring talented cybersecurity athletes, coaches, and industry leaders together to build a US Cyber Team for global cybersecurity competition. Organizations interested in helping build a better and more diverse cybersecurity workforce are encouraged to become cybersecurity workforce champions and support the US Cyber Games and US Cyber Team. Learn more at https://www.uscybergames.com/sponsor.
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.
NICE aims to close the cybersecurity workforce gap by energizing, promoting, and coordinating a robust community working together to advance an integrated ecosystem of cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. NICE is led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce and is a partnership between government, academia, and the private sector. Visit our about page for more information.
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.