The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) announced the HackForGov Competition, an activity that serves as a platform for students to showcase their abilities and develop a deeper understanding of the various cybersecurity issues and challenges faced by organizations and individuals.
Anchored on this year’s theme, “Building Cyber Champions: Stronger Nation through Cyber Awareness and Action”, the DICT said that the undertaking is a continuous commitment by the department to robust the country’s capacity to respond to the ever increasing and evolving cyber-attacks.
College students enrolled in different universities and colleges across the country are expected to participate.
In 2019, CERT-PH held the first ever HackForGov Competition. This activity is primarily designed to raise the level of awareness among students on the importance of cybersecurity and provide them with hands-on experience in the various techniques used in the virtual world.
The competition format is a capture-the-flag event, where participants must solve a series of cybersecurity-related challenges in order to test their skills in areas such as cryptography, web security, and network security, among others.
It also serves as a way for CERT-PH to engage with the future generation of cybersecurity professionals and encourage them to consider careers in the field.
The competition provides a unique opportunity for students to learn from experts, network with peers and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
CERT-PH recognizes that the issue of protecting sensitive data is challenging for certain agencies and for each independent individual, especially if there is a limitation in cybersecurity knowledge. It also aims to achieve a more informed general public so everyone can contribute to the country’s fight against threats in the digital space.
The HackForGov 2023 Kick Off will be done at the Manila Prince Hotel on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Catherine R. Cueto
