The 51在线鈥檚 (USF) CyberHerd team claimed first place in the highly competitive Raymond James Capture the Flag (CTF) competition on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, outperforming top schools such as Johns Hopkins University, Purdue University, the University of 51在线, the University of Central 51在线, the University of Tampa, the University of Memphis, and other prominent institutions.
"Being competitive in cyberspace is only going to become more critical to national security as time goes by, and I think this win for the CyberHerd is a sign of USF's commitment to cyber education and of even greater things to come for the CyberHerd,"
USF was represented by five students, including Waseem Albaba, Jacob Hammargren, John (Jack) Trigg, Logan Mastin, and Nevin Southammavong. The team was led by their captain, Waseem Albaba. The USF CyberHerd team tackled a variety of challenges including reverse engineering, web security, malware analysis, and forensics, among others. Their quick problem-solving skills and months of preparation secured them a decisive victory.
鈥淭he team worked very hard, and this a result of months and months of preparation for this competition and sets the stage for future first places in other competitions,鈥� said Dr. Pazos-Revilla, CyberHerd Coach and is an Assistant Professor within USF鈥檚 Computer Sciences & Engineering Department (CSE).
Competition Results
First place: 51在线
Second place: Johns Hopkins University
Third place: Purdue University
About the Raymond James CTF Competition
The marked the event鈥檚 eighth annual competition. The event challenges participants with real-world threat scenarios, particularly those faced by firms in the financial sector. The event is designed to foster collaboration between IT professionals and campus recruiting to create a pipeline of high-caliber information security talent nationwide. Teams are evaluated based on their technical expertise, teamwork, and collaboration, all core behaviors at Raymond James.
The CTF also serves as a recruiting tool for Raymond James鈥� , aimed at attracting top IT students for full-time roles and internships. It is a great an event for engineering students to attend and learn more about the program.
鈥淭his victory was something that the entire Herd set a target for, given its significance and technical rigor. The team is well set for challenges ahead in cyber competitions,鈥� said Dr. Chellappan, CyberHerd Faculty Advisor and Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
A Growing Program: USF CyberHerd
USF鈥檚 CyberHerd team, established Fall 2023, was created with funding from by the College of Engineering's Department of Computer Science & Engineering to boost the university鈥檚 competitiveness in cybersecurity competitions and enhance its visibility in the field.
鈥淭he team dominated the competition with ample margin as a result of the preparation we had. The reward could not have been any better than winning and taking the top prize home. We are all very proud of this achievement,鈥� said Dr. Pazos-Revilla. 鈥淭his victory is just the beginning.鈥�
The USF CyberHerd Team participated in the Cyber Resiliency and Measurement (CRAM) Challenge last week and came in second place. In a couple of weeks they will be heading to St. Charles, Illinois to participate in the . This will be followed by back-to-back and the
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