Cyber Security Specialist Rivaled in “Capture the Flag”
Cyber security experts from public and private sectors as well as universities showed great interest to the cyber security contest organized by the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries’ subsidiary STM. At the event that took place on 27th October, 73 cyber security specialists gathered at the Sports Hall of the Bilkent University and raced against each other on their computers. At the cyber contest organized with the cooperation of Bilkent University under the title “Capture the Flag”, the contestants teamed-up and competed with each other through these teams.
System Deficiencies Detected
The specialists trying to win the competition through detecting the system deficiencies created by cyber security professionals seized the opportunity to improve themselves as well. Within the scope of the “Capture the Flag” contest, cyber security specialists struggled to “capture the flag” before other competitors, by reaching the identified targets through taking advantage of the security flaws in the systems in branches such as cryptology, reverse engineering and Wi-Fi. At the event, it was aimed to gather a wide range of specialists from public and private sectors as well as universities under a single roof and to create an information sharing network in cyber security.
Our Software has to be Unique
During his speech before the contest, Mr. Süreyya Yiğit, Electronic and Information Systems Department Head at the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) mentioned that the first things that come to mind when “cyber security” is pronounced are plagiarism and damaging computers and added that nowadays the threats towards critical infrastructures gain more importance. Yiğit underlined the need for adopting certain measures beforehand and increasing the awareness of the risks in cyber security and added, “We have to make sure that the software running in critical systems is unique and we should develop the keys by ourselves and prevent them from being seized by others”.
Cyber Space Altered Our Lifestyle
“Cyber security changed our lifestyles. Currently, we are speaking of an era in which everything, from the refrigerator in our apartments to the car we drive is interconnected through the internet”said STM General Manager Mr. Davut Yılmaz. Stating that the cyber security concept that was in the agenda of only a few institutions now gained great importance, Mr. Davut Yılmaz continued: “Cyber security is such a dynamic area that new developments emerge almost each day. If one wishes to operate, become a specialist and exist in this area, he will have to update himself continuously. Now the word ‘data’ refers to our personal data, trade secrets, and governmental secrets. This area requires constant dynamism. It is not possible to protect the trade and military secrets through imported solutions. Today, there is no guarantee for perfectly functioning software not to service in favor of the enemy during warfare. We are focusing on national and indigenous products and we are in severe need of specialists. We are conducting an activity that has never been accomplished in this area. We lifted the rule of employing graduates for now because even an eleven-year-old child is capable of hacking major companies”.
The institutions and associations attending the event seized the opportunity to test their own cyber security experts and detect their weaknesses. Various awards were distributed to those ranking the highest scores. The METU team was the winner of the competition and it gained the award of 6000 TL. The Universities Special Award was handed out to the Bilkent University Team, the Sector Special Award was granted to the Türk Telekom Team while the Public Special Award was given to the representatives of the Central Bank.
