South Wales teens compete to show their cyber security expertise

Teenagers from across South Wales have taken part in a special competition which aimed to inspire the next generation of cyber security experts.

Teenagers from across South Wales have taken part in a special competition which aimed to inspire the next generation of cyber security experts.

The Newport Campus of the University of South Wales (USW) hosted the final of the competition, which was organised by three of the region’s leading expert institutions in cyber education - USW, Cardiff University, and Bristol-based University of the West of England (UWE).

All three are Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACEs-CSR), which is sponsored by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Held across different sites, the finals saw 12 teams from five schools take part - Stanwell School in Penarth; St Joseph’s RC High School, Bassaleg School, and Rougemont School in Newport, and Haberdashers' Monmouth School. All the entrants were aged 14 to 18. 

The competition aimed to identify and nurture young talent in the field of cyber security and featured a series of Capture The Flag (CTF) challenges and other cyber-related activities designed to test and enhance the participants' skills.

The winners of the Palto Alto CTF were Bassaleg High School, while the Bridewell CTF competition was won by St Joseph's RC High School and Stanwell.

Rhys Driscoll, who is Deputy Director of the Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security at USW, said: “The competition was the culmination of a broader initiative that saw more than 1,740 students and 260 schools participate in the initial qualification rounds. The top 10% of students from each region advanced to the finals, where they competed in various activities, including a CTF challenge.

“The event was supported by several industry partners, including CyberWomen Groups CIC. Palo Alto, Kocho, CyberMarket.ai, CyberFirst Wales, Remson IT and Cyber Security, PureCyber, Bridewell, Thales, and the Cyber Innovation Hub in Cardiff, and also had added support from Wales Cyber Innovation Hub, and the NCSC.

“These organisations provided mentorship and prizes for the participants, further emphasising the importance of industry-academic collaboration in developing future cyber security professionals.”

Collaboration across educational institutions was also key to the success of the competition.

“Colleagues at Cardiff University and UWE were instrumental in the success of this programme, providing unwavering support and enthusiasm from day one,” Rhys added.

“Their dedication ensures the continuation of this competition, which plays a crucial role in addressing the growing demand for skilled cyber security experts.

“The competition not only showcased the students' talents but also highlighted the importance of regional and national collaboration in cyber security education. By engaging students in challenging and engaging activities, the ACE universities aim to inspire the next generation of cyber experts and raise awareness about the skills needed in this critical field.”