Polytechnic University Announces Winners of Annual Nationwide "Battles in the Cyber World" Competition

Polytechnic University announces the winners of the nationwide competition, "Battles in the Cyber World,” in which technology and engineering students from around the country converged to compete for top honors during the school's Cyber Security Awareness Week (CSAW) at the Downtown Brooklyn campus this week. CSAW, founded by Professor Nasir Memon, Director of Polytechnic University’s Information and Internet Security Lab, was created to bolster interest in and awareness of cyber security among students and professionals, and address future challenges in the field.

The following are the first place winners from each category:

• Pitney Bowes Challenge - Tim Vidas, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
• Essay Competition - Kurt Rosenfeld, Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, NY
• Security Quiz (team) - Dan Guido and Boris Kochergin, Polytechnic University,
• Brooklyn, NY
• Digital Forensics Challenge - Tim Vidas, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey,
• CA
• Security Research Poster - Oktay Altun, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
• Capture the Flag (team) - Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
• Hardware Design - Mark Chaney, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
• Security Awareness Poster - Jonathan Voris, Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, NY

During this year’s “Battles in the Cyber World,” individuals and teams from U.S. universities, colleges and high schools competed in eight contest categories, from digital forensics to hardware design to less-technical poster and essay contests. The contest challenges were announced on November 1 and students had two weeks to complete their submission. Students participated remotely, and no individual category required special software.

“This year’s group of competitors was tremendous, exhibiting advanced levels of knowledge and skill which bodes well for the future of cyber security and for Polytechnic as a leader of technological innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Jerry Hutlin, president of Polytechnic University.

“Cyber security will only become increasingly important as more and more of our own personal information and critical national assets move online. And this exciting annual event contributes to the building of communities – around the nation and across the globe-- of future leaders for cyber security. These are leaders for the future of technology for today and tomorrow.”

Representatives from sponsors such as Pitney Bowes, Microsoft and the Department of Homeland Security judged the contest categories and selected the winners.

Keynote speakers were Edward G. Amoroso, Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer, AT & T Services, Inc., and Brian Lopez, Computer Scientist for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.