CyberPatriot!

[tlavinder]

They are using VMWare Player to host the targets. VMWare Player is a free application that essentially lets you run a computer in another window on your computer. Anyone can download and use it. The latest version makes it easy to create your own as well.

For Round 1, the target turned out to be Windows Server 2003. Prior to the competition date, the coaches are sent a link to download the target. It is zipped and password protected, so all you can do is download it. When it is time for the competition to start, the coaches are provided a web page with a document that includes a list of what you can and can't do to the targets along with the password to unzip it. You boot the virtual computer in VMWare Player and the cadets are left to harden it. They act as the Blue team. There are no attackers (Red Team) in the first rounds, although I understand in the finals there will be.

For Round 3, there were three targets. Windows 2K Server, Windows 2K Pro, and RedHat9. The Linux system did not have a GUI, so the cadets had to work from the command line.

The cadets had six hours to work through the system, locking down the firewall, putting on patches, checking passwords, cleaning up virues, rootkits, malware, etc. It was well done and at the right level for most high school students. We went back after the competition and looked to see what we may have missed and found nothing at a really deep or hidden level. Almost everything was the stuff you see in any business where there is not a good IT Security policy in place.

This was the first year that they tried running the competition on this large of a scale, so they are certainly working through some of the trials and tribulations of doing so. Overall, I must say they did a really good job on this and the cadets were way more excited and passionate about it then I would have ever guessed. I would highly recommend forming a team of cadets interested in computers for the next competition. I'm sure next year will be even bigger and better.

[A.Member]

Just as I finish writing the above, our Squadron's coach notifies me that our unit has qualified for the Finals in Orlando in February.  Apparently, we are one of only 4 CAP units nationwide and 4 AFJROTC units (8 teams total). 

Our team scored 232 points, which we think was 2nd or 3rd place overall.  The top team scored 238 points.

Awesome!   Congrats to your team. 

Our team ran into some connectivity issues on with one of the images on Sat.   We won't be moving on to the finals but still had a blast and thought it was a great experience.   The competition is a fantastic idea that will only get better as organizers continue their efforts to improve the experience.