Spy Agency Names Winner of Cyber Comp. with 'The Best and the Brightest’

A multiple-day competition that puts cyberwarriors’ skills to test has declared the U.S. Air Force Academy as the champion.  

Over 100 women and men from the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard participated in the National Security Agency’s cyber exercise held April 15-17 in Colorado. The competition aims to develop and test cybersecurity skills.

“The women and men who participated in this year’s event represent the best and the brightest of the next generation of cyber warriors,” said Gen. Paul Nakasone, U.S. Cyber Command chief, in an April 18 release. “We commend them for their dedication to service in protecting the nation from ever-evolving cyber threats.”

The exercise has participants engaging with NSA employees to execute and assess cyber mission strategies and complete cyber operation scenarios in real-time. Forensics, cyber policy, data analysis, software development and cyber policy were among the scenarios.