(Sept. 23, 2019) -- The National Security Agency/Central Security Service launches their 2019 Codebreaker Challenge with a tech talk at UTSA on Sept. 23. Hosted by the UTSA National Security Collaboration Center and NSA/CSS Texas, the event is free and open to all students and their faculty mentors from the San Antonio and the South Central Texas region.
Codebreaker Challenge developer Eric Bryant will present the tech talk and answer questions about this year’s challenge, focused on mobile message application.
The NSA Codebreaker Challenge provides students with a hands-on opportunity to develop their reverse-engineering and low-level code analysis skills while working on a realistic problem set centered around the NSA’s mission.
The event will take place at the UTSA Main Campus in the John Peace Library fourth floor Assembly Room (JPL 4.04.22). Doors open at 2:30 p.m. The talk is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. with a Q&A to follow. Pizza will be served. Representatives from NSA/CSS Texas and Maryland HQs will have a recruitment table for students to liaise and ask questions before and after the talk.
“Developing complex coding skills is vital to our national security to defend against both existing and emerging cyber threats,” said retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Guy M. Walsh, who is executive director of the UTSA National Security Collaboration Center. “The demands in both government and industry for a trained workforce and employees with coding and programming skills continues to grow. UTSA prides itself in teaching our students both technical skill sets as well as how to think strategically to resolve challenges that have no defined solutions in the cyber world.
A type of Capture the Flag scenario is created where students use their skills and acumen to do some reverse engineering, vulnerability analysis, and exploit development. There is usually a unique twist added to test the participants. In 2018 the scenario involved exploiting ransomware developed using Ethereum Smart Contracts. That same year, there were 377 entries from across the country with the Oregon State team winning the 2018 Codebreaker Challenge with nearly 35,000 points.
The Codebreaker Challenge consists of a series of tasks that are worth varying amount of points based upon their difficulty. Once the Challenge goes live, all tasks are available and can be solved in any order, although there may be some dependencies between them. Point value is based on relative difficulty. It is still recommended to solve tasks in order as the tasks flow with the storyline, but that is not a requirement. Solutions may be submitted at any time for the duration of the challenge. Schools are ranked according to the total number of points accumulated by their students.
“Codebreaker Challenge is a unique, nontraditional approach to recruiting, where we are introduced to talented students and amazing schools,” said Kathy Hutson, senior strategist for Academic Engagement at the NSA.
Learn more about the Codebreaker Challenge
Celebrate UTSA’s 50th Anniversary and share social media posts about the 50th using the hashtag #UTSA50.
Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
The UTSA Office of Undergraduate is proud to celebrate National Undergraduate Research with an annual event sponsored by the (OUR) featuring students will showcase undergraduate student research and creative endeavors from all disciplines across campus.
Various LocationsThis community event is hosted by the UTSA Mexican American Studies Program. It is a lecture/performance that examines the contributions of Tejana musicians to the evolution of Mexican American music.
Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, 922 San Pedro Ave.Asian Fanfair is an event that highlights our APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) identities on campus. The event will feature performances from our AAPI interest Student Organizations, a tabling fair, and some cultural cuisine.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusJoin us for a day dedicated to supporting and empowering our UTSA veterans! We're excited to announce our upcoming resource fair, designed specifically to ensure that our veteran students have access to the resources and networking opportunities they need to thrive in their academic and post-military lives.
Student Union Lawn, Main CampusThis workshop will introduce participants to the basics of text analysis using Python and Jupyter Notebook on the Constellate Lab platform. We will create datasets in Constellate to analyze patterns, trends, and relationships of contents and more.
John Peace Library (JPL 3.02.32), Main CampusWhat would award-winning writing professor Diane Abdo say if it were her last lecture? Join us for our annual Last Lecture series on Wednesday April 17.
Multipurpose Room (BSE 2.102), Main CampusDía en la Sombrilla, formerly Fiesta UTSA, is a festival hosted each spring as a part of Fiesta® San Antonio events. Sponsored by Roadrunner Productions, the event features music, food, confetti, games, event t-shirts, and more.
Sombrilla Plaza and Central Plaza, Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
