Cybersecurity Challenge: testing tomorrow’s experts
How it works
The competition kicked off on 21 October with a series of technical tests to be solved individually online. Students were assessed on the speed and skill with which they responded to a wide range of problems in areas such as cryptography, forensic analysis and software vulnerability analysis.
This initial online qualification phase ended on 6 November. Now the top 48 students will be grouped into 16 teams of cyber-defence specialists, who will pit their wits against each other in a five-hour non-stop series of simulations at the final in Rennes on 24 November.
- Mission: protection of critical energy infrastructure (fossil, nuclear or gas) from cyber attacks by a fictitious international group.
- Objective: damage limitation by protecting natural sites located in the vicinity of each target
The three teams with the highest scores will be declared the winners. Their prizes will include job offers or training courses at leading cybersecurity companies, and technology bundles including computers, connected watches and vouchers to purchase other high-tech products.
The challenge provides students with the opportunity to test the skills they have learned in a series of contests devised by professionals with extensive experience of real operational vulnerabilities – and the chance of a job on the horizon, too.
Strong growth in demand for cybersecurity experts
With the IT security market growing by an average of 10% year on year, demand for new talent in the sector is high.
Across all its businesses, Thales will have hired a total of 200 cybersecurity specialists in France in 2016, and has just as many openings in the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands and Hong Kong.
The most highly specialised profiles being sought for bids and projects include:
- Penetration testers/hackers/intruders
- Security engineers for IT security architect roles, involving complete system security design
- Junior consultants capable of moving into security and risk assessment engineer/expert roles
- Security integrators, security analysts, security architects, security consultants and cybersecurity R&D engineers
- Cybersecurity project managers.
The following profiles are also needed in information systems security (ISS) at Group level:
- Information system security architects
- Engineers specialising in the design and implementation of ISS tools
- Information system security managers.
“In 2016, Thales plans to recruit at least 200 engineers specialising in cybersecurity in France alone. We are constantly on the lookout for talent, whether new graduates or experienced experts, with very specialised profiles. To help meet this need, Thales is supporting innovative recruitment initiatives such the student Cybersecurity Challenge at European Cyber Week. I've only one more thing to add: good luck to all the candidates!” said Laurent Maury, Thales Vice President, Critical Information Systems and Cybersecurity
Find out more
European Cyber Week website: https://european-cyber-week.eu
Cybersecurity challenge website: https://challenge-ecw.fr/
Link to press release: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/security/press-release/first-cyber-security-challenge-organised-pole-dexcellence-cyber
To find out more about cybersecurity jobs at Thales or submit an application, send an email to: