Capture the Flag for Empowered Cybersecurity Training

In January 2024, JPMorgan Chase’s CEO revealed that the asset and wealth management company fends off 45 billion cyber attack attempts per day. While most organizations won’t have to combat the same level of attack as a leader in the financial industry, global cyber crime damages are predicted to grow 15% YoY, topping $10 trillion by 2025. Cybersecurity preparedness has become a top priority as businesses strive to protect their sensitive data and maintain the trust of their customers.

Organizations are now looking for ways to keep their teams more engaged in the training that helps them stay prepared for emerging cybersecurity events and trends. INE is excited to announce CTF Arena - free Capture the Flag challenges that put security professionals to the test in real world scenarios. Monthly challenges are a fun, competitive way to supplement training and spark some excitement in teams that are prone to burnout.

Why Should Your Team Participate in CTFs?

Cyber attacks are relentless. Teams are burnt out. Who has the time to add more training? The short answer is no one. There will never be enough hours in the day for a dedicated cybersecurity professional to accomplish everything they want and need to do. But training is never going to be optional - so it might as well be fun!

Capture the Flag challenges are typically modeled after a real-world scenario or cyber attack that happened, and give cybersecurity professionals a risk-free environment to work through how they would stop the attack. Since most CTFs (like ours) offer prizes for top performers and Easter Eggs for extra prizes, it’s an easy way to incentivize your team to get involved. Other benefits include:

Skill Development: Participants get hands-on practice identifying and mitigating security vulnerabilities in a cyber attack simulation to stay ahead of emerging threats and improve their overall cybersecurity knowledge.
Team Building: CTF challenges encourage teams to work together to solve complex challenges, improving effective collaboration and communication. This collaborative spirit translates well into the workplace, fostering a stronger team dynamic. In a field where teamwork is crucial, CTF challenges can help employees build trust and cohesion, ultimately benefiting the organization's overall cybersecurity strategy.
Identifying Weaknesses: Organizations can use CTF challenges as a proactive approach to identify weaknesses in their cybersecurity infrastructure. By observing how Red Teams tackle challenges, cybersecurity teams can gain insights into potential gaps or areas that may need improvement. This proactive approach enables organizations to address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors, enhancing the overall security posture.
Continuous Learning: If you hear every day that continuous training is imperative, that’s because it is! The speed at which new threats emerge has increased since AI tools have become widely available. INE offers new CTF challenges monthly to align with emerging threats. We also offer training for individuals and teams across Cybersecurity, Networking, and Cloud and at every skill level to engage technology professionals regularly in hands-on training.
Motivation and Engagement: The competitive and gamified nature of CTF challenges makes learning fun and engaging. When employees are motivated to improve their skills, they are more likely to stay committed to maintaining a high level of cybersecurity awareness in their daily work, benefiting the organization as a whole.

The First Challenge

Operation Shadow Cloud: Decrypting The Syndicate’s Shadow

Open February 6-19, 2024

Scenario: A mysterious group, the Syndicate, has been leveraging cloud technologies to orchestrate global cyber espionage. Their operations are a complex web of data theft, surveillance, and strategic sabotage. As part of an elite cyber task force, your mission is to dismantle their network, piece by piece.

Your Mission:

Exploit The Syndicate’s operations
Dig into serverless and event driven architecture like AWS and GCP
Submit flags to advance to the next level
Side Quest: Find two halves of an easter egg to win a prize!

Notify Me When The Challenge Opens

Organizations can greatly benefit from encouraging their employees to participate in cybersecurity Capture the Flag challenges. From skill development and team building to identifying weaknesses and promoting continuous learning, the positive impact on the overall security posture is significant. Embracing CTF challenges not only enhances the capabilities of individual employees but also contributes to building a resilient and proactive cybersecurity culture within the organization. Want to learn more about how to engage cyber teams in hands-on training? Schedule a demo!