du Ethical Hackathon: Encouraging the youth to be a part of the cyber security agenda

Dubai - MENA Herald: Encouraging the youth to be part of the cyber security agenda, du has, once again, organised the popular Hackathon event. As part of the du Cyber Security Conference 2016, du invites student ethical hackers to register for the du Hackathon, which will take place from on October 9 at Madinat Jumeirah - Johara, in Dubai. The event will provide a safe learning environment for young hackers; test their skills, while challenging them in a competitive environment, and encouraging them with an AED 20,000 cash prize.
Ibrahim Al Mallouhi, Vice President - Security Operations, du, said: “Securing ICT infrastructure in the UAE’s Smart City environment is imperative, and we continue to invest in our security offerings; however, we have also identified ethical hackers as an essential component to the development of solid cyber defenses. Today’s youth are incredibly competent when it comes to technology. In Smart City culture, it is the youth who will carry smart technology to the next level. Our Ethical Hackathon enables us to nurture the capabilities of the talented youth in our communities, while demonstrating the strength of security that is crucial to the seamless connectivity that our Smart City will thrive upon.”
Participants will be grouped into 10 teams, and will be given interesting tasks to complete through the duration of the event. A small model of a smart city with all the relevant technologies will be built, and the hackers will be required to demonstrate the variety of ways in which technologies can be used in this smart city setting, and how they can be secured. A panel of judges will score the competitors at each levels, and the team with the most points at the end of play will take home the grand prize of AED20,000.