On 22 March 2019, Santander hosted the European Cyber Security Challenge Face to Face Team UK qualifier at their Leicester offices. Forty two young cyber enthusiasts selected for their outstanding performance in the online qualifying rounds attended to battle it out for 10 coveted spots on Team UK. The ECSC 2019 Finals will take place in Bucharest, Romania, in October this year.
Contestants’ skills were put to the test in game scenario, API Bleed, specifically developed by RangeForce. Based on the remote island of Pigmonia, rogue hacktivist group Acronymous were bribed by a state actor to use their skills to destabilise the Pigmonian government. Participants were tasked to work in teams to stop the attack and restore order on the tiny island nation.
And the awards go to….
The top three prizes at this year’s European Cyber Security Challenge Face to Face Team UK qualifier were awarded to:
1st place: Ben Jackson, 2nd year undergraduate working part time for PwC
2nd place: Sophia McCall, university undergraduate working full time on placement year at NCC Group
3rd place: Sai Putravu, GCSE student
Meet our ECSC 2019 team!
This year’s European Cyber Security Challenge Team Captain will be Sophia McCall, with the following competitors selected to represent Team UK:
Danyal Sharif, Joseph Bunce, Katy Harrington, Sam Leonard, Charlie Hosier, Ben Jackson, David Buchanan, Harvey Stocks and Barnaby Colby.
In 2018, Cyber Security Challenge UK hosted the ECSC Finals alongside Cyber Re:coded, Europe’s biggest entry-level cyber security careers fair at London’s Tobacco Dock, where Team UK scooped third place. This year, Team Captain Sophia McCall promises to bring gold home, and is already working hard to support the team as they practise the skills they need to win.
Look out for more team updates and learn more about this year’s top talent on our social media channels as well as here on our website, coming soon! We’ll make sure you’re kept up to date with the team’s progress as they practice over the coming weeks before their exciting journey to Bucharest in October.