SoarTech building the next generation of Cyber Warriors

SoarTech was busy again in August working on the development of our future workforce!

During the first week of August, SoarTech helped organize and run the Central Florida Navy League’s 2022 CyberCamp, based upon the CyberPatriot USN Sea Cadets curriculum. Also sponsoring the event was the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Central Florida chapter. The camp was held in the Partnership III building on the campus of the University of Central Florida, next to the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD).

The camp was organized and hosted by SoarTech’s own Hank Phillips in his capacity as CFNL Vice President for Youth Programs. On Day 4, Denise Nicholson was presented with a t-shirt in recognition of her sponsorship of the event as an NDIA CF Board Member. An incredible amount of legwork was done by Kristen Mills, including all parent coordination, materials production, scheduling, and t-shirt design and order! Special thanks and recognition are also in order for the head instructor, Jonathan Harris, NAWCTSD Lead Cybersecurity Engineer, and Lindsey Spalding, National Center for Simulation STEM Director.

The camp curriculum covered a variety of areas, including cybersecurity career opportunities, cyber ethics, online safety, how computers work, cyber threats, cybersecurity principles, and virtual machines. Students were also introduced to Windows 10 Basic security policies and tools, account management, file protections, auditing and monitoring , and were provided introductions to Linux, Ubuntu 16 terminology and concepts, GUI security, command line security, and Ubuntu security. The camp also included a virtual appearance by Chris Clearly, DoN Principal Cyber Advisor, and guest lectures on offensive cyber capabilities, the DoD’s Risk Management Framework, and Social Engineering, provided by instructor volunteers from NAWCTSD, the Army’s Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO-STRI), Fortress Information Security, and of course, SoarTech.

The best part was Friday, when the camp concluded with a real-time competition in which teams role-played as IT directors working to harden and protect their networks against intrusion and hackers. Hank and Jonathan are pictured with Tim T, who took home the first place medal.