GREAT FALLS – Mark-Edward Miner plans to go into a career in cyber forensics, so when he was presented with the opportunity to participate in a cyber competition, he jumped at the chance.
Miner, a microcomputer support and network support and security student at Great Falls College MSU, is one of about eight students in the new Cyber Club at the college and one of two GFC MSU students competing this weekend in a national cyber competition.
Miner and another student will compete in the National Cyber League competition, a collegiate individual-based cyber and ethical-hacking competition.
The competition covers many tasks that network security professionals encounter on the job, explained Chris Mee, Department Chair of Computer Technology at Great Falls College MSU.
“These competitions are a great learning experience because they relate to cyber security and all the different domains of cyber security,” Mee said.
Students compete in the areas of password cracking, cryptography, wireless security and other cyber security issues.
“They’re solving problems they would see in the real world of cyber security,” Mee said.
The National Cyber League competition, is divide into three parts – preseason, regular season and postseason. Students compete in the preseason to get ranked going into the regular season.
Miner came out of the preseason ranked in the top 25th percentile out of almost 5,000 competitors nationwide. This weekend he’ll compete in the regular season event.
“For me, it’ll probably take two days,” Miner said.
The competition is open for 72 hours and students across the country compete at the same time.
“You can do it wherever you have an internet connection,” Miner said.
During the competition, students often encounter tasks they’ve never done before, Mee said.
“They have to go out and research and learn how to do things they may not know how to do,” he said.
For Miner, the competition is fun, but it also builds his resume. Many employers look to see if applicants have participated in these kinds of events.
“I like penetration testing and ethical hacking,” Miner said. “I like that side of cyber forensics. I like finding out ways through things and figuring out ways to protect them.”
In addition to competing, the GFC MSU Cyber Club also works with cyber clubs at the local high schools and middle schools to mentor younger students. This weekend Great Falls College MSU will host a Cyber Patriot Competition for students from C.M.R., Great Falls High, North and East Middle School and homeschool students.
To learn more about the computer technology programs at Great Falls College MSU, contact admissions at 406-268-3700 or visit gfcmsu.edu.
For more information or for interviews, please contact:
Lewis Card
Executive Director—Development, Communications and Marketing
Phone: 406.771.4412
[email protected]
