HKPC and HKCERT Organise the First “Capture the Flag Challenge 2020” Cultivating the Interest of the Young Generation in Cyber Security

(Hong Kong, 19 October 2020) Tertiary and secondary students in Hong Kong wondering what the world of cyber security is like are invited to enter the first-ever “Hong Kong Cyber Security New Generation - Capture the Flag Challenge 2020” jointly organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and its Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre.

This online team competition, which will take place from 6 to 8 November, assists students to enhance their teamwork spirit and strengthen their creative problem solving skills using search, analysis, a diversity of tools and techniques. Through the contest they learn cyber security knowledge and skills such as cryptography, programming concept and forensics. Participants will receive an electronic award certificate and have the chance to win an attractive prize and attend a cyber security training programme for free.

The competition will feature two categories - Secondary School and Tertiary Institutions. Each participating team should comprise of 3 to 4 members. There will be the Gold, Silver and Bronze awards for each category. For Secondary School category, there is no entry limit for each school though all team members must come from the same school. Each awarded school will receive a trophy and the secondary school which sends the most participating teams will win the “Most Supportive School Award”. As for Tertiary Institutions Category, inter-tertiary-institution teams are acceptable. This contest will be conducted in Jeopardy-style, which the participants will pick up a score after solving the problems successfully within the competition timeframe.

Mr Edmond Lai, Chief Digital Officer of HKPC said, “While we live in a technology-driven generation, cyber risk is showing up more and more often in our daily life. Our young generation has been exposed to technology gadgets since their childhood. Therefore it is necessary for them to have cyber security knowledge for dealing with an ever-changing Internet world. Through organising the ‘Capture the Flag Challenge 2020’, we would like to encourage more young people to come across and acquire cyber security knowledge and solve problems using a diversity of tools. The initiative is a perfect match with the trend of combining technology into education as well as enriching the cyber knowledge of the younger generation and nurturing more tech talents for the society.”

Interested tertiary and secondary students are welcome to apply before 30 October via the following link https://www.jotform.com/hkcert/hkcert20. All registered participants will be invited to join an online pre-workshop held on 31 October, and a webinar and prize presentation ceremony will be conducted on 13 November. Please visit https://www.hkcert.org/my_url/zh/event/20110801 for more details.

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