UK seeks cyber security champions

Britons who can defend the nation's networks armed only with a keyboard are being sought in a national competition.

Now in its second year, the Cyber Security Challenge aims to uncover the UK's future cyber warriors.

Via a series of online and face-to-face challenges entrants are asked to thwart hack attacks, defend networks and track down criminals.

Prizes for the winners include training courses and cash to help them pursue a career in computer security.

The competition was set up to address the looming shortfall in cyber security workers that the UK is facing.

From 1 June, anyone interested in entering the competition can register via the website in preparation for the series of challenges that will run over the next 12 months.

The challenge is arranged around three streams which test the skills established computer security experts call on in their day-to-day work.

Entrants can take challenges dealing with how to design secure networks, digital forensics and cyber defence. This year one-off quizzes are being offered alongside the on-going competitions so those in full-time employment have more of a chance to take part.

Each stream will have up to three competitions and the winners of these will go through to an elimination round. Those that triumph in the eliminators will compete for the chance to be grand champion.

The elimination rounds involve live challenges such as defending a network against incoming attacks.

Dan Summers, a postman from Wakefield, was the winner of the first UK Cyber Security Challenge and took home prizes worth £6,000.