CyberPatriot - Cyber Defense Competition Draws Over 450 Teams From Across The Nation

The Air Force Association announced today that CyberPatriot, a cyber defense competition for high schools, has more than 450 teams registered to participate.

Teams from 47 states have registered for the competition, with Iowa, Montana and Wyoming being the only states not yet represented. Registration is open until October 8th so there is still time for teams to register and take part.

CyberPatriot provides students interactive learning while competing virtually against their peers. Teams of five, with an approved coach (usually a teacher), learn to defend computer networks from real-life computer threat scenarios. In the preliminaries, hundreds of teams compete online using software provided by CyberPatriot to competitively solve vulnerabilities in a network. The top teams then compete again in a series of online rounds to determine the finalists for an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC and the Championship Round at the Gaylord National Convention Center in April 2011.

"CyberPatriot calls attention to one of the nation's most critical needs by exciting, educating and motivating the talent who will become the country's next generation of cyber leaders," said Bernie Skoch, CyberPatriot Commissioner. "Educators are continually learning about this great opportunity for their students, so we're excited to have this number of registered schools in our unique competition."

Coaches can learn more about CyberPatriot and sign up at www.uscyberpatriot.org.