The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) awarded the winners of the fourth annual President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition in a private ceremony at the White House on Monday, May 15.
The individual winners are Ben Marks from the National Security Agency in the defensive track, and U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 1 Andrew Fricke from the 781st Military Intelligence Battalion in the offensive track. For the third year in a row, the winning team came from the U.S. Army’s 780th Military Intelligence Brigade.
“We lean on our professional cyber workforce to be skilled, innovative and challenge the status quo to protect networks and systems and achieve a new era of sustainable cybersecurity,” said CISA Deputy Director Nitin Natarajan during the award ceremony. “The President’s Cup showcased this incredibly talented and skilled cyber workforce within our government and military; I applaud the winners and greatly appreciate all that competed.”
Led and hosted by CISA, the President’s Cup presents competitors with a series of challenges designed around the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Framework Work Roles to identify, recognize, and reward the best cybersecurity talent across the federal workforce. The 2022 competition had nearly 240 teams and more than 1,100 individuals participate for the top prizes. Ten departments and agencies sent competitors for the first time.
“The President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition recognizes the very best and brightest of the federal government,” said Kemba Walden, Acting National Cyber Director. “The Biden-Harris Administration’s sustained investment in the federal government’s incredible cybersecurity talent is a cornerstone principle of the forthcoming National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy. As part of this strategy, we will continue to elevate our federal cyber personnel and propel our entire nation into the workforce of the future. Congratulations to all the winners!”
The 2022 competition featured two individual tracks – one challenged competitor’s offensive skills, such as those within the exploitation analyst and cyber operator NICE work roles, and the other challenged defensive skills, such as those within the incident response and forensics analyst work roles. The team’s competition tested skills from a full range of work roles, such as threat/warning analyst, cyber defense analyst and network operations specialist.
The President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition is open to the federal civilian workforce and members of the military. Watch videos from the 2022 and previous competitions and learn more information about the annual event at President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition.
