Loyola Blakefield Cyber Security Winter 2023 Newsletter

LOYOLA BLAKEFIELD CYBER SECURITY WINTER 2023 NEWSLETTER

Foreword

LBCSIhasbeenworkinghardthesepastfewmonths,competingintheAFAʼsnational competitionCyberPatriotStateandSemi-Finalrounds,studyingforCompTIANet+, Sec+andA+certifications,andevendevelopingtheirowncompetition,LBC2!Despite mid-termexams,afreezingwinter,andever-changingsportsschedules,ourCyber Donshavebeenhardatworklearningabouttheworldofcybersecurity.

LBCSIisproudtoannuallyhostLBC2,anentirelystudentrunandproduced CapturetheFlagstyleCyberCompetition.Thisyear,theeventwillbeheldonMarch 25th,9:00AM-3:00PM,opentoallstudentsgrades8-12.Ifyouareinterestedinjoining, feelfreetovisithttps://lbc2.org/.

Mission

LBC2isacompetitiondesignedbystudents,forstudents.Westrivetocreate contentthatbothchallengesourcompetitorswhilealsoteachingdifferent cybersecurityskillsandhelpinggainabetterappreciationforthefield.Withmultiple topics,suchasanImage-Basedround,aCapture-The-Flag(CTF)round,andan InternetofThings(IoT)challenge,weworktoletcompetitorsexploreawiderangeof computersciencesubjects.OurhopeisthateverycompetitorleavesLoyolaBlakefield withamotivationtolearnmoreabouttheirinterestsincybersecurity.

Features

OurleadershipteamatLBCSIhasbeenworkingday-inandday-outtocreate challengesforLBC2.ThedaywillbeginwiththeComtechimage-basedround, consistingofmultiplechallengesconcerningtheLinuxOperatingSystem.Competitors willlearntonavigatethecommandlineandinputbasicLinuxcommands.Next,the CapturetheFlag(CTF)Roundwillconfrontcompetitorstolearnaboutsubjectssuchas Programming,Cryptography,ReverseEngineering,NetworkAnalysis,andWeb Exploitation.Eachchallengewillconsistofaquestionandparticipantswillbeaskedto procureananswer,orflag,fromtheclue.Finally,duringtheCTFRound,LBCSIis includinganall-newIoT(InternetofThings)CityChallenge.TheIoTCityconsistsof6

separateCapturetheFlagstylechallenges,withanIoTtwist. Rangingindifficultyfrom IntrotoAdvanced,thechallengeswilltestcompetitorʼsknowledgeofbothbasic cybersecurityandIoTelements.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsconcerningthecontentof thecompetitionpleasevisitthecompetitionʼswebsite,https://lbc2.org/.

Sponsors

OrganizingLBC2isamonumentaltask,onethatourLeadershipTeamcannot undertakealone.Assuch,wewouldliketoextendourgratitudetoalloursponsorsfor contributingtheirtimeandthefundsthatmakethiscompetitionpossible.Aspecial thankstoCyberStronger,theGovernorʼsWorkforceDevelopmentBoard,GS Consulting,SkylineNetworks,HartfordComputerGroup,HartmanExecutiveAdvisors, theEdwardSt.JohnFoundation,JuniperNetworks,andtheFederalBusinessCouncil fortheirsupport.IfyouorsomeoneyouknowisinterestedincontributingtoLBC2, pleasereachouttoCharlieHaleʻ23(cmhale2023@loyolablakefield.org)orTeddy Marineʻ24(ejmarine2024@loyolablakefield.org).

TermTwoOverview

AstheCyberPatriotseasonwindsdown,LBCSIismovingintoanewcurriculum. Studentsarenowtakingtimetostudyforindustrylevelcertifications,practicefor CapturetheFlagchallenges,andexploretheircybersecurityinterestsontheirown.In theworldofcertifications,weofferinstructiontoallLBCSImembersonNetworking+ andA+certifications,alongwithotherCompTIACertificationsandproduct-specific certifications.AnotherlargepartofLBCSIʼstermtwoplansisCTFtraining.Whilemany studentsopttotrainthroughCarnegieMellonʼshttps://picoctf.com/,somemembers, suchasJamesKellerʻ24,havedecidedtocreatetheirownchallengesandtraining materialsfortherestoftheclubtolearnfrom.LBCSIisveryhappywiththetrajectory ourstudentsareon,andwillupdateyouwiththeirresultsandprogressattheendof theyear.

CyberpatriotWrap-Up-StateandSemi-Finals

AerachallengingCyberPatritotStateandSemi-FinalRound,theresultsarein! Thisyear'sSemi-FinalRoundfeaturednewanddifficultchallengessuchasFedora Linuxandanequalincreaseinthedifficultyofreturningchallenges.Competitorswere facedwithmultipleWindowsimages,multipleLinuximages,aCiscoNetworkingQuiz andSimulation,alongwiththereturnofBoeingʼsAirTrafficControlChallengeanda Capture-the-FlagstylechallengefromlastyearʼsSemi-FinalRound.Thevolumeof imagesalsoposedanotherhurdleforeachtime:timemanagement.Witheight separatechallengestocompleteandonlyfiveactiveteammates,teamshadto strategizeandprioritizewhichchallengesneededtobecompleted. Overall,ourDons placedextremelywell.Outof2062totalteams,Loyolacontinuestoconsistentlyplace teamsinthetop1%.Congratulationstoallofouraward-winningteams!

HighSchool

Firstplaceinthestateand33rdoverallwasteamAureliusfeaturing:Anshul Chelapurathʻ23,GraceBrehmʻ23,NickJacobʻ23,CaseyNazelrodʻ25,ValerieRunge ʻ23,BenScholtesʻ23.

Secondinthestateand44thoverallwasteamCharlieʼsAngelsfeaturing:Charlie Haleʻ23,TeddyMarineʻ24,JackWachterʻ24,DylanKellerʻ24,AidanSachsʻ24,Michael Litrentaʻ24.

Fourthplaceinthestateand23rdoverallwasteamHS3featuring:Brendan Mclaughlinʻ23,ChrisCoadyʻ23,AndrewHillʻ23,OwenWrotenʻ23,NoahMorrayeʻ23, andDimitriKokkinakosʻ24.

MiddleSchool

FirstplaceinthestatewasteamRatatoulliefeaturing:NathanPorterʻ27, LandonDuBoisʻ24,NickFoughtʻ27,MatthewMaranaʻ27,ColeRohrbachʻ27,EliBlair ʻ27.

SecondplaceinthestatewasteamMicroDonsfeaturing:ChrisBeverʻ29, PatrickCounselmanʻ29,LiamYatesʻ28,GrantBenegasʻ28,FinnMitchellʻ28,Porter Nachtmanʻ27.

ThirdplaceinthestatewasteamDaDonsfeaturing:WillMascariʻ29,Joey Acchonieʻ29,WilliamBarkerʻ29,AustinPitarraʻ29,ColeMorganʻ29,JacobBraxtonʻ29.

GuestSpeakers

OnJanuary24th,wewereprivilegedtohostMr.PercyMoore,retiredMarineLt. Colonelandentrepreneur,Mr.OliverSadorraʻ99,ChiefGrowthOfficeratDarkWolf Solutions,andMr.BrianCarroll.

TheconversationbeganwithapresentationonthehistoryofArtificial Intelligence,itscurrentuses,andthefutureofAIinoureverydaylivesbyMr.Oliver Sandorra.Then,Mr.BrianCarroll,whohasspentacareerinriskmanagementfor majorcompaniesacrosstheUnitedStates,gaveanin-depthanalysisofhowto approachacybersecurityattack,theteamwhohandlessuchattack,andsolutions.

Lastly,Mr.PercyMooreandothersgaveauniqueperspectiveintobroadproblems facedbytheUnitedStateseveryday.Studentswerethenabletoaskquestionstoeach guestandgainfurtherinsightintoawide-varietyofeverydaycybersecurityproblems.

Wehaveevenmoregreatspeakerslinedupfortheyear!

Mr.EvanDornbush(parentʻ26,ʻ28,founderofPoint3Security)willbespeaking toourDonsonFebruary22ndat3:15p.m.Thisinformativepresentationwillbeopen fortheentireLoyolaBlakefieldcommunitytoattend.Feelfreetocontactusifyouhave anyquestionsabouttheevent.Moredetailswillbereleasedsoon!

ColonelReidJ.Novotny(Commander175thCyberspaceOperationsGroup)will bespeakingtoourDonsonMarch7that3:15p.minWheelerLounge.The175th CyberspaceOperationsGroupdefendsAirForceNetworksandstopsdigitalattacks undertheUnitedStatesCyberCommandCyberMissionNationalForces.Col.Novotny commands400AirmenwhoworkasTitle10Operators.Thisinformativepresentation

willbeopenfortheentireLoyolaBlakefieldcommunitytoattend.Feelfreetocontact usifyouhaveanyquestionsabouttheevent.Moredetailswillbereleasedsoon!

Ifyouoranyoneyouknowwouldhaveinterestinspeakingtoandeducating middleandhighschoolcyberstudents,pleasepleasereachouttoCharlieHaleʻ23 (cmhale2023@loyolablakefield.org)orTeddyMarineʻ24 (ejmarine2024@loyolablakefield.org).

SocialMediaPresentations

Inthisnewyear,ourleadershipteamhasbeenbusypresentingsocialmedia awarenesstostudentsallacrossthestate!Mr.Morrill,alongwithCharlieHaleʻ23and JamesKellerʻ24traveledbacktoHarfordDaySchool,presentingtothe4thand5th graders.Also,Mr.Morrill,alongwithCharlieHaleʻ23andBenScholtesʻ23visitedSt. Michael-St.ClementSchool,presentingtotheir7thand8thgraders.Wecannotwait totravelback!WewouldliketoextendaspecialthankyoutoMs.Kearneyfrom HarfordDaySchoolandMr.PaulKristofffromSt.Michael-St.ClementSchool.

Lookingtowardsthefuture,ourteamwillbeheadingtoSt.CasimirSchool,St. JosephSchool-Fullerton,St.AugustineSchool,andResurrection-SaintPaulSchool forsocialmediapresentations.Wearealsoexcitedtoannouncethatwewillbe travelingtoSt.AugustineSchoolinApril!Wearealwaysgratefulfortheopportunityto speaktosucheagerminds!

EstoniaWrap-Up

OnOctober26,fiveLoyolaBlakefieldCyberSecurityDonsembarkedonaonce inalifetimetriptoEstonia.Jakeʻ19, Anshulʻ23,Teddyʻ24,Jackʻ24,andMattʻ19 foughtthroughfiercecompetitionandplaced5thoutof28teamsfromthe Nordic-BalticRegion.AsaconclusiontoLBCSIʼstriptocompeteintheCyberBattleof Estonia,StoriaStudioproducedanamazingvideotosumupourstudentsʼ accomplishments.Watchthevideohere!

ThankyouSponsors

ThankYoutooursponsorsonbehalfoftheentireLBCSIprogram. We wouldliketothankallofourpartnerswhograciouslyinvesttheirresourcesin LBCSI.Wearegratefulforyourcontinuedsupportandguidanceoverthepast elevenyears.Wewanttospecificallythankourpresentingpartner:TheEdward St.JohnFoundation,andcornerstonepartnersT.RowePrice,andPoint3.A specialthankyougoesouttotheEdwardSt.JohnFoundationPresident, Ms. SharonAkers.Weappreciatethecontinuedinterestinthedevelopmentofour cyberstudents,andwelookforwardtocontinuingourworkwiththesesponsors inthefuture.

Thankyouallfortakingthetimetoreadthisyearʼs WinterNewsletter!Ourteamhasbeenworkinghard bringingnewandexcitingopportunities,andweare excitedtoshowyouwhatwehaveinstorefortheendof theschoolyear.

Wehopeyouarealldoingwellandstayinghealthy.

Thanksagain, CharlieHaleʻ23, TeddyMarineʻ24

Mr.StephenMorrill, TheentiretyofLoyolaBlakefieldʼsCyberScienceInitiative