Leveraging Cyber Competitions to Build

Your Resume

Cyber Competitions

Types of Competitions:● Challenge/Puzzle● Defensive● Offensive● CTF (Capture the Flag)● Hybrid (this is most of them)

Challenge Competitions

Involve a process of solving multiple challenges in a wide variety of topic areas:● National Cyber League● US Cyber Challenge● Hacky Easter

Defensive Competitions

Competitors are defending their boxes or networks from attackers (usually seen in hybrid format):● CyberPatriot● CCDC

Offensive Competitions

Competitors are attacking other boxes (usually seen in hybrid format):● Maryland Cyber Challenge● Various hackathons, e.g. Altamira SCRAM● SploitNet

Hybrid Competitions

These competitions encompass a variety of cyber arenas and usually involve a sophisticated platform:● SANS NetWars

Conference Competitions

These competitions are associated with a security conference and can represent a wide arena of challenges, including specialty areas: ● Wireless hacking● SOHO hacking● Capture the flag

Who Can Play?

Short answer - anyone!Target audiences:● Students● Professionals● Noobs

In a Team or Alone?

● It depends on the competition● Recommend team competitions for sharing

of knowledge● Do them on your own for practice

What Do I Need to Know?

● Everything● Nothing

It’s a learning experience, don’t be distracted by a perceived lack of skills/knowledge

Public Service Announcement

Only hack for good. Not for evil.

Build Your Own Competition Environment?

● Yes!● Build an intentionally vulnerable virtual

machine. Or a few.● Plant flags.● Hack away.

Is This Going to Get Me a Job?

Maybe. You’ve already shown initiative by participating in a competition. Put it on your resume. You might be surprised at the results...

How Do I Put it on my Resume?

COMPETITION EXPERIENCE

● Maryland Cyber Challenge (MDC3) 2013, 2014 (competed at finals with first all-female team)

● Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC) 2013 (1st in community colleges, 6th overall in region)

● Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) Digital Forensics Challenge 2012 (1st in community colleges, 23rd overall internationally)

● Maryland Digital Forensics Investigation Challenge 2012 (2nd place in community colleges, 4th overall)

● Various CTF and other competitions, 2012 – present

How Else Can Competitions Help You?

● Be able to answer technical interview questions● Be able to discuss “experience” - it doesn’t have

to be real world, just show your mastery of concepts

● Be able to expand upon your competition roles, e.g leader, linux guru, DB expert...

How Else Can Competitions Help You?

● Discover your passion! ● LEARN!● Meet like-minded

people!● Gain mad street cred! ● Something to talk

about at parties?

And then I ssh’d into the box with the creds I discovered...

Recruiting...

Savvy recruiters are onto this…★ Build a competition★ Open it to the public★ Recruit the winnersFor example:● Kaizen CTF by BAH● CCDC recruitment fair

Competition Examples

● Password cracking● Wireless key hacking● Exploiting remote hosts● Hardening boxes● Hash cracking● Steganography● Network traffic analysis

Password Cracking

Wireless Key Hacking

Exploiting Remote Hosts

Hardening Boxes

Hash Cracking

Steganography

Network Traffic Analysis

@marcelle_fsg www.linkedin.com/in/marcellelee