A team of students from Texas A&M University have advanced to the semi-final round in the 2017 Cyber 9/12 Student Challenge, which was held March 17-18 in Washington, D.C. The event is designed to provide students with a deeper understanding of the policy challenges associated with cyber crisis and conflict.
The fifth annual Cyber 9/12 Student Challenge consisted of 45 teams from across the country. The team of Aggies was comprised of Bush School of Government and Public Service graduate students Morgan Anderson, Emily Otto, Shannon Abbott and Gordon Bostick.
During the challenge, each team was asked to analyze and respond to realistic, evolving cyberattacks, then present a brief presentation of their policy recommendations to be judged by high-level cyber professionals.
This year’s fictional scenario described a Chinese cyberattack that spread to United States financial institutions, one of which decided to hack back. This retaliation had the potential to affect equipment, such as medical devices, which could have caused medical crises, and perhaps deaths, in China.
The team was led by Dr. Andrew Ross, professor and director of the Certificate in National Security Affairs in the Bush School. Dr. Daniel Ragsdale, professor of practice and director of the Texas A&M Cybersecurity Center, served as one of the team’s coaches.
“The students from the Bush School represented Texas A&M in the most positive light,” Ragsdale said. “Their presentations were well received by all of the judges and received almost exclusively favorable feedback.”
For more information about the Cyber 9/12 Student Challenge, please visit http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/programs/brent-scowcroft-center/cyber-statecraft/cyber-9-12.