Security News > 2020 > October > On Friday the US starts Ender's hacking game: All local teens can compete for scholarships in cybersecurity

Starting on Friday, US high school students can register to participate in CyberStart America, an online puzzle-solving game designed to identify cybersecurity talent and qualify participants for an opportunity to compete in the National Cyber Scholarship Competition next year.

The CyberStart America program, sponsored by the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation, aims to find students with an affinity for security-oriented challenges in the hope of steering them toward careers defending US organizations.

There's something of a shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals in the US. In November, 2019,², a non-profit security trade group, said the current US cybersecurity workforce numbers about 804,700, which is 498,480 or 62 per cent short of estimated requirements.

The CyberStart program was founded by James Lyne, CTO of the SANS Institute, a for-profit cybersecurity training company, as a way to help increase the supply of relevant talent.

Registration for the CyberStart America game opens on Friday and play is scheduled to run from November 15, 2020 through the end of February 2021, when the national finalists will be announced.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2020/10/30/cyberstart_hacking_challenge/