Penn State Berks students were part of a team that earned third place in the “RED vs. BLUE Cyber Competition,” an event sponsored by the Penn State Competitive Cyber Security Organization. It was held on Sept. 20 on the University Park campus.
This year’s event was a six-hour, in-person, hands-on battle with a space-mission theme. The hands-on battle replicated a real-world cyber attack in which teams of attackers (red) were pitted against teams of defenders (blue), who were protecting a live mission-critical network.
The “RED vs. BLUE Cyber Competition” is open to students across the University. Four Berks students from the college’s Technology and Coding Club participated, including Brock DeJesus, Logan Kraus, Darlin Diaz Muñoz and Dominic Sheidy. They were paired with students from University Park for the competition.
Sheidy commented, “The competition was a great experience because it put us in a high-pressure environment where we had to think on our feet, troubleshoot problems, and learn new cybersecurity skills as we went. It was also a lot of fun working alongside fellow students, sharing ideas, and putting our skills to the test in a competitive but enjoyable environment.”
DeJesus added, “RED VS. BLUE was my first real-world cybersecurity experience. I learned so much, not only during the competition, but while preparing for the competition. The event was an extremely stressful (in a good way), informative, and a lot of fun!”
Penn State Berks offers bachelor’s degrees in cybersecurity analytics and operations, information technology and security and risk analysis. The Penn State Berks Technology and Coding Club provides an environment for students to learn, explore and engage in projects related to information science and technology. It is open to students from all majors.
For more information, contact Tricia Clark, associate teaching professor of information sciences and technology and program chair, at tkc3@psu.edu.