AFCEA International Chapter News
SOUTH CAROLINA LOW COUNTRY CHAPTER CHAPTER - Apr 12, 2014

Chapter Co-Hosts Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition

The chapter and the Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center Atlantic jointly organize the Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition (PCDC). The goal of the PCDC is to energize South Carolina colleges and high schools and their students to focus on the development of technical skills in the areas of networking and cyber security in preparation for exciting careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The 2014 competition was conducted April 12-13, in the College Center at the Complex for Economic Development at Trident Technical College in North Charleston. Clemson University successfully defended it title as champion of the PCDC collegiate division and Florence Career Center earned the prestigious championship among South Carolina high schools. University of South Carolina and College of Charleston took second and third place among the SC colleges and Summerville and Wando High Schools rounded out the high school performers. Winning team members each received a $500 scholarship as well as PCDC gold medals. The teams were awarded trophies as well as a $1,000 technology grant from AFCEA. During the competition, students from each school formed Blue Teams of up to six competitors that were responsible for operating a small business network. Each team was provided with a mal-configured business network and challenged to properly reconfigure the network, add new services and respond to additional requirements—all the while defending against a Red Team of SPAWAR volunteers attempting to disrupt and penetrate the network. Blue Teams were scored for accomplishing administrative and business tasks while maintaining network/service availability, such as mail, database and Web servers, as well as the ability to detect and respond to cyberthreats. Teams were challenged to respond to business requests such as the addition or removal of services, and balance security needs against business needs. Richard Clarke, an internationally recognized homeland security, national security, cybersecurity and counterterrorism expert, spoke to the competitors about the need for the skills they have developed. Celeste M. Matarazzo, a data science expert with the Lawrence Livermore National Labs Computation Directorate also addressed the teams, emphasizing the need for a new paradigm to address the evolving threats to networks. The competition, awards, scholarships and technology grants were made possible through the generous support of many industry and institutional sponsors and volunteers, including Dell, CACI, Trident Technical College, CISCO Sourcefire, Secure Mission Solutions, AFCEA International, Lockheed Martin, Pro2Serve, the Advanced Cyberforensics Education Consortium, the Rural Technology Fund, ISHPI, Scitor Corporation, Southern Educational Systems, SRA, SRC, IMS, Vistronix, ITT Technical Institute, Sentar, the Air Force Association, the Law Office of Leanne M. Innet, as well as competition organizers SPAWAR Systems Center Atlantic and the chapter.

Event Video:

Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition coverage by Charleston's Live5News

Event Photographs:

In April, Clemson University wins the Collegiate Division of the Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition.
In April, Clemson University wins the Collegiate Division of the Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition.
Florence Career Center wins the High School Division of the Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition in April.
Florence Career Center wins the High School Division of the Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition in April.
High Schools receive mentoring from Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Atlantic volunteers in April in preparation for the Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition.
High Schools receive mentoring from Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Atlantic volunteers in April in preparation for the Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition.

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