Singapore, 3 May 2017 – The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) is organising the Cybersecurity Challenge Singapore, a series of challenges and competitions designed to inspire and spur cyber enthusiasts to join the cybersecurity profession.

2.        A key component of the Challenge is CyPhinx - a virtual three-dimensional (3D) skyscraper which acts as a gateway to different games, ciphers and competitions catering to players in various age groups and different competency levels launched by the Cyber Security Challenge UK, a UK Government-backed organisation in 2015. In CyPhinx, players can create avatars, access cybersecurity game challenges and interact with like-minded cyber enthusiasts as well as demonstrate their skills to fellow players and potential employers.

3.        CSA has rolled out a Singapore floor on CyPhinx - an initiative arising from the Memorandum of Understanding on Cyber Security Cooperation signed between CSA and the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom. To participate in the Challenge, participants must first test their skills in the exciting games available on the Singapore Floor (Please refer to Annex B).  Scores will be captured as players complete the game challenges in cybersecurity disciplines, namely forensic analysis, vulnerability assessment, incident analysis, malware investigation, attack strategies, and coding.

4.        The qualifying period for the Challenge commenced on 22 March 2017 and will end on 14 June 2017. The top 30 players will be invited to compete in a Face-to-Face competition co-organised by CSA and BAE Systems on 22 July 2017 where six winners will win career-enabling prizes from key industry players such as BAE Systems, PwC Singapore, Palo Alto Networks and training courses by (ISC)². They also stand to win an all-expenses paid trip to the United Kingdom (UK) to pit their skills against UK players in the Masterclass Final from 12 to 14 November this year.

5.        Commenting on the Challenge, Mr David Koh, Chief Executive, CSA said, “Cybersecurity is a fast-growing industry. However, it is a relatively new area and many cybersecurity enthusiasts may not be aware of what the job entails or the exciting opportunities available. With the introduction of the Challenge, we want to unearth budding cybersecurity talents and give them a platform to challenge themselves and at the same time, showcase their skills to potential employers. We are pleased to partner like-minded industry leaders to offer training and internship opportunities to help them develop their cybersecurity competency.”

6.        Mr Boye Vanell, Regional Director, Asia, BAE Systems Applied Intelligence said, “BAE Systems is privileged to partner with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) for the first ever Cybersecurity Challenge Singapore, an initiative designed to discover raw talent in Singapore and raise awareness about career opportunities in cyber.  We at BAE Systems are passionate about nurturing the next generation of cybersecurity specialists to further enable and bolster Singapore’s cyber resilience. Our involvement in the Cybersecurity Challenge Singapore builds on the Memorandum of Collaboration we signed with CSA in 2016; aimed at boosting training and raising cybersecurity capabilities in Singapore.”

7.        The Challenge is open only to Singaporeans or Permanent Residents who are currently not in the cybersecurity field. Cybersecurity enthusiasts who are keen to take part can register and download CyPhinx at https://cybersecuritychallenge.org.uk/competitions/play-demand-cyphinx.

8.        The sponsors of the Cybersecurity Challenge Singapore include Gold-tiered Sponsors - Palo Alto Networks and PwC Singapore; Silver-tiered Sponsor (ISC)² and Affiliate Sponsors - e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), THINKSECURE PTE LTD, and StarHub.

-End-

 About Cyber Security Agency of Singapore

Established on 1 April 2015, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) provides dedicated and centralised oversight of national cybersecurity functions, and works with sector leads to protect Singapore’s critical services. It also engages with various industries and stakeholders to heighten cybersecurity awareness as well as to ensure the holistic development of Singapore’s cyber security landscape. The Agency was established under the Prime Minister’s Office and is managed by the Ministry of Communications and Information. Information on CSA is available at www.csa.gov.sg.

 

For media queries, please contact:

Ms Chen Jingxuan, Senior Manager, Communications and Engagement Office, CSA

DID: +65 6323 5112 | Email: CHEN_Jingxuan@csa.gov.sg

​

Annex A

Quotes from Key Sponsors

Palo Alto Networks

“Singapore’s smart nation initiative has driven the demand for cybersecurity and therefore, we need to look at innovative means to reach out to cyber talent, even those who might not have pictured themselves in such a role. As Palo Alto Networks continues to deepen its roots in Asia-Pacific, we remain committed towards promoting cybersecurity education locally and regionally. We are honoured to take part in this landmark programme and we look forward to contributing to the growth of cybersecurity professionals in Singapore, “said Simon Green, Senior Vice President, Asia-Pacific, Palo Alto Networks

PwC Singapore

“With cyber threats constantly evolving, it is important to strengthen Singapore’s overall cyber resilience. This partnership provides an innovative platform to discover budding talent which enables us to build up a core group of cyber talents, which we hope will play a big part in helping organisations protect themselves against cyber threats, “said Vincent Loy, Asia Pacific Financial Crime & Cyber Leader, PwC Singapore

 (ISC)²

“As countries around the world continue to see a rise in cyber incidents, the demand for cybersecurity skills is increasing rapidly. According to (ISC)² Global Information Security Workforce Study, cybersecurity workforce shortage continues to grow worldwide, to 1.8 million in five years from now and there is an urgent need to close the skill gap. Cybersecurity Challenge Singapore is a fun and innovative way to identify and engage budding talents in a range of new cybersecurity experiences and put their problem-solving skills to the test. (ISC)² is pleased to be working with CSA on the Cybersecurity Challenge Singapore to inspire cyber talents to enter the exciting and versatile cybersecurity profession,” said Clayton Jones, Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, (ISC)²

 

Annex B

Game Challenges on Singapore Floor

Locked Down

• This game will test players’ ability to analyse and identify vulnerabilities found in web servers.

• For each question, they will need to make use of vulnerability assessment tools to analyse the content found on the website port provided and highlight the ‘flag’ when answering.

  Andromeda Challenge

• This game will test players on their ability to analyse network traffic.

• Players will have to make use of the PCAP[1] file provided to extract artifacts (e.g images, zip files etc), analyse the network traffic and use password cracking tools to extract the passwords to answer the quiz.

  Operation Syringe

• This game will test players on their analytical skills and SQL[2] injection knowledge.

• Players will need to refer to the log files provided and identify the SQL injection request, data that was extracted and the time of the attack when answering the quiz.

  Puppylizer

• This game is a web app challenge that will test players on various cybersecurity skills, such as penetration testing and vulnerability assessment etc. 

• Players will refer to the web app simulation and use their knowledge of penetration testing to find the vulnerabilities and identify the flags while answering the quiz.

  Zombie Hunter

• This game will test players on their coding skills and problem solving abilities.

• Players will need to connect to a webserver and use their knowledge of scripting to solve a puzzle within a given time to obtain a password before proceeding to the next level. They will need to provide the passwords for each level and the source code to complete the quiz.

 

[1] Packet Capture (PCAP) consists of an application programming interface for capturing network traffic saved in either libpcap or WinPcap format for analysing.

[2] Structured Query Language (SQL) is a programming language that is used for managing a relational database management system.