In recent years the SCaLE program has grown to include an increasing amount of security related content including presentations, tutorials, and our long running PGP keysigning party. This year we are again growing to include a hacking competition target during the conference which aims to test the security skills of the participants in a live setting.
SCaLE 15x will be hosting the First Cyber Security capture the flag (CTF) competition to spark interest in cyber security and bring attention to the cybersecurity skills gap. There are over 1 million or so unfilled cyber security jobs. Based on Cyberseek.org's heat map, California has over 45,000 Cyber Security Job openings with 84,415 employed as cyber security professionals. There are 6,463 Certified Information Systems Security Professionals (CISSP's) in California and over 11,000 job openings requesting a CISSP certification. As demand continues to grow this gap widens.
The CTF competition will be set up for Saturday, at three rounds for beginning, intermediate and semiprofessional. There will be opportunities for professionals and industry experts to participate along side SCALE's student attendees.
If you are interested, sign up at the tables on the ground floor of the Pasadena Convention Center across from room 103. Professional are welcome to participate in the more advanced rounds.
SCaLE hopes that this completion will inspire students to consider cyber security as a profession.