National Youth Cyber Competition Gears Up for First Qualifying Round

All-Service Division of CyberPatriot Starts Preliminary Rounds This Saturday

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of teams nationwide are now preparing for the nation's largest and fastest-growing high school cybersecurity challenge to begin.

CyberPatriot is the one-of-a-kind national cybersecurity competition produced by the Air Force Association (AFA), a nonprofit organization headquartered near Washington, D.C. Its unique structure provides students hands-on learning about cyber defense and a chance to win scholarship money and an all-expenses-paid trip to nation's capital.

In this two-track competition, teams have registered from public, private, parochial and home schools in the Open Division and JROTC units of all Services and Civil Air Patrol squadrons filled the All-Service Division. In all, 661 teams have registered to participate this year.

This Saturday, October 23, 2010, the 475 teams that make up the All-Service Division will be competing online to advance to the next round of CyberPatriot.

Each team, made up of five students and an approved coach, will virtually battle to competitively solve vulnerabilities in their computer network using software provided by CyberPatriot. After scores are in, only qualifying teams will advance.

Top teams will continue to compete in a series of online rounds to determine finalists for the Championship Round at the Gaylord National Convention Center in Washington, D.C. in April 2011.

The CyberPatriot program was designed to inspire students to consider science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields in their studies, as well as educate them on cybersecurity.

"CyberPatriot is reaching thousands of high school students and exciting them about science and technology," said Bernie Skoch, CyberPatriot Commissioner. "Cybersecurity continues to be a crucial national security issue. This competition is providing a very unique learning experience and will hopefully encourage students to further consider degrees and careers in cybersecurity."

The Open Division begins competing on November 13, while the next round for the All-Service teams will be on November 6.

More information on CyberPatriot can be found at www.uscyberpatriot.org.

CyberPatriot is presented by Northrop Grumman, with founding partners SAIC and the CIAS at the University of Texas-San Antonio.

The AFA is a 501(C)(3), nonprofit organization promoting public understanding of aerospace power and the pivotal role it plays in the security of the nation. AFA has over 200 chapters nationally and internationally representing 120,000 members.

SOURCE Air Force Association