About the Strategy Challenge
A major cyber attack has occurred—how should your nation respond?
Now entering its eleventh year globally, the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge is a one-of-a-kind cyber competition designed to provide students from across academic disciplines with a deeper understanding of the policy and strategy challenges associated with management of tradeoffs during a cyber crisis. Part interactive learning experience and part competitive scenario exercise, it challenges students to respond to a realistic, evolving scenario of international cyber crisis, analyze the threat it poses to national, international, and private-sector interests, and provide recommendations on the best course of action to mitigate the crisis. Since its establishment in Washington, DC in 2012, the competition has expanded its reach globally, with regional competitions across the United States, as well as in London, Dundee, Geneva, Paris and Cape Town.
Through the competition, students have the unique opportunity to interact with expert mentors and high-level cyber professionals while developing valuable skills in policy analysis and presentation. To date, the competition has engaged over one thousand students from universities in the United States, Europe, Indo-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Through its unique crisis scenario format, mentorship, recruiting, and networking opportunities, the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge has expanded its global reach, will continue to build on its reputation as a pipeline for the next generation of cyber policymakers, and will continue to grow as a global community of multidisciplinary cybersecurity professionals.
Preparation materials
Locations
For the 2022-23 competition season, the Strategy Challenge will take place in Cape Town, South Africa on September 28-29, 2022; Dundee, UK on October 18-19, 2022; New York, New York, on November 4-5, 2022; Paris, France on December 5-7, 2022; Austin, Texas on February 4-5, 2023; London, UK, on February 21-22, 2023; Washington, DC, on 17-18 March 2023; Geneva, Switzerland, on April 13-14, 2023; Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep., on May 25-26, 2023.
Cape Town, South Africa | September 28-29, 2022
In partnership with the Cybersecurity Capacity Centre for Southern Africa (C3SA) at the University of Cape Town, students will respond to a cyberattack with far-reaching impacts on the economy, politics, society and more. This competition is only open to students enrolled in academic institutions based in Africa.
Dundee, Scotland | October 18-19, 2022
In partnership with Dewar Cyber Consulting Ltd (DCC Ltd), the Scottish Government and Abertay University, this new edition of the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge will take place at the newly launched cyberQuarter in Dundee, Scotland. Students will work together to craft actionable policy recommendations in response to a scenario that examines cyber threats to resilience. This competition is only open to students enrolled in colleges and universities based in Scotland.
Register to join us as a judge at the inaugural Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge in Scotland.
Find more information on lodging and travel discounts here.
New York, New York | November 4-5, 2022
In partnership with Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, students will tackle challenges like assessing the impact of a major cyber attack, thinking through attribution and national responsibility, and response options for the President and private sector.
Learn more about the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge in New York, New York.
Paris, France | December 5-7, 2022
In partnership with the French Institute for Geopolitics (IFG), students will respond to a large scale cyber-attack on France during a major international event. Competitors will manage the tradeoffs that come with responding to a cyber crisis that poses challenges to state, military, and industry actors.
Austin, Texas | February 4-5, 2023
In partnership with the Robert Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin, students will respond to a fictional, evolving cyber scenario and will develop policy recommendations to a panel of senior judges while considering the legal, security and private sector implications.
Register your team for the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge in Austin, TX.
London, UK | February 21-22, 2023
In partnership with senior British government and industry stakeholders, student teams will compete to steer the UK through a large scale cyber crisis impacting businesses and critical services. Mixed discipline, creative teams will need to understand not just the technology and strategy challenge they are faced with but then also present potential solutions to senior government and industry decision makers on their options in the face of a cyber security crisis.
Learn more about the Cyber 9/12 London and register your team.
Washington, DC | March 17-18, 2023
In Washington, DC, student teams confront a serious cybersecurity breach of national and international importance. Hosted for the first time ever in a virtual format, teams will compose policy recommendations and justify their decision-making process, considering the role and implications for relevant civilian, military, law enforcement, and private sector entities and updating the recommendations as the scenario evolves.
Learn more about Cyber 9/12 DC and register as a judge here.
Geneva, Switzerland | April 13-14 2023
In partnership with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), students respond to a major cyber crisis. Competitors will provide recommendations balancing individual national approaches and a collective crisis management response, considering capabilities, policies, and governance structures of NATO, EU, and individual nations. The competition fosters a culture of cooperation and a better understanding of these organizations and their member states in responding to cyberattacks.
Learn more about the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge in Geneva, Switzerland.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep. | May 25-26, 2023
Cyber 9/12’s first ever bilingual event, teams will compose policy recommendations and justify their decision-making process in Spanish or English, with the scenario focusing on regional contexts and strengthening cooperation and capacity building in cyber in Latin America. This event is open to students enrolled in post-secondary academic institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The NextGen Fund
Cyber 9/12 is a singular opportunity to sharpen the leading edge of the cyber skills pipeline through competition, training, and teamwork. This pipeline is not yet sufficiently diverse however, reflecting a critical challenge for the broader cybersecurity community. Cybersecurity benefits from a richer set of voices and perspectives, in the analysis, at the keyboard, and in the boardroom.
Making Cyber 9/12 accessible to underrepresented students and nascent professionals in the cybersecurity community is more than a goal, it’s a core requirement. The NextGen Fund builds on Cyber 9/12’s legacy as a unique global competition and history of innovation to bring the best and the brightest into the cyber workforce of the future.
Supported by:
Affiliate partner:
The Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative, under the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), works at the nexus of geopolitics and cybersecurity to craft strategies to help shape the conduct of statecraft and to better inform and secure users of technology.