SPSCC student cybersecurity team heading to Florida for invitational competition

The South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) student cybersecurity team is heading to Florida to compete in the NCAE Cyber Games invitational competition on Saturday, April 12.  

The team, called the White Rabbits, won the Northwest regional competition on March 1. The competition is designed for students new to cyber competitions and hackathons.

The NCAE Cyber Games provide an accessible and engaging entry point for students exploring cybersecurity competitions, states a press release from SPSCC. Students can develop their technical abilities, problem-solving skills and teamwork in a supportive, beginner-friendly environment. 

“This competition was an excellent opportunity for our students to gain hands-on experience and build confidence in their cybersecurity skills,” said Andy Leiren, SPSCC Cybersecurity and Network Administration Professor and Mad Hatters Club Advisor.

“The White Rabbits showed incredible teamwork, adaptability, and dedication, and I couldn’t be prouder of their success.” 

The Mad Hatters Club has been around for about two years, said Leiren, and students created the White Rabbits within that club. The goal of the club is to learn things about cyber security beyond what is taught in the classroom.  

At these competitions there is a red team and a blue team. The blue team is given a network environment that is deliberately vulnerable, and they must figure out what the vulnerabilities are and try to stop the red team from hacking in.

The more the blue team slows them down or stops the red team, the more points they rack up, Leiren said. They manage firewalls, routers, and network devices to keep the network secure.

There’s also a “capture the flag” aspect to the games, where the blue team must complete various distracting tasks to gain points, while keeping the server from being hacked. A winner is determined by points gained from the flag challenges and how well they kept servers online.  

At the regional competition, two SPSCC team members were awarded individual recognition as well. Most Valuable Teammate was awarded to Team Captain Tanner Harkin and Most Improved Teammate was awarded to David Wellington. 

“Participating in NCAE was both challenging and rewarding. I valued the opportunity to put the theory we learn in the Cybersecurity and Network Administration program into practice in a real-world setting," Harkin said.

"Leading my team through these experiences refined our skills and deepened our understanding of the field. It was an experience that was not only enjoyable, but also genuinely valuable for our future careers.” 

Leiren said SPSCC is one of few two-year colleges participating in the competition. Colleges from all over the country come, and many are four-year colleges, or even graduate or doctorate programs.  

“This year’s group of students is just amazing,” Leiren said.  

The SPSCC team consists of Karish Bernard, Broc Carlson, Valdemar Doering, Tanner Harkin, Tyler Maye, Jasmine Pierre and David Wellington.