2023 Cybersecurity Awareness Challenge

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), an initiative led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA). Now in its 18th year, NCSAM is committed to empowering individuals and organizations to be more resilient against cyber threats by ensuring they are prepared with the tools and resources required to be safe and secure online.

Staring on September 11th, 2023 and running through October 31st, Masters of Cybersecurity & Leadership (MCL) program and Information Technology Department at University of Washington Tacoma are sponsoring a challenge to enhance Cybersecurity awareness among the public. 

A (virtual) awards ceremony will be held in early November (date TBD) to celebrate our winners!

We'd also like to thank an additional sponsor, GenCyber Tacoma for providing the Qi Wireless Chargers for all entrants!

The Challenge

The goal of this challenge is to get students and community members to think about ways that they can #BeCyberSmart. We're asking all entrants to submit a short, 2-3 minute video explaining  the merits of one or more of the following topics: 

• Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication
• Using a Strong Password
• Recognizing and Reporting Phishing
• Keeping Software Up-To-Date

Videos will be judged based on the following rubric: 

• Information provided about the chosen topic is accurate
• Video is the appropriate length
• Video is visually appealing and creative
• Video is understandable by all, regardless of tech background

Eligibility

All University of Washington and Washington State College students, K-12 students, and community members are eligible to participate in the 2023 Cybersecurity Awareness Video Challenge

Prizes

The top 4 submissions will receive a Raspberry Pi 400, an all-in-one personal computer, completely built into the keyboard! 

2 Honorable mentions will receive an HP Portable Instant Printer!

All entrants will receive a Qi Wireless Charger for their participation in the challenge. 

Submission

Submissions are currently closed for the 2023 challenge. Thanks for your submissions!
 

FAQs

• I go to a different school other than UW. Can I still enter?
  • Yes! Any student, including K-12, community colleges, and private universities, or community member residing in Washington State may enter the 2023 Cybersecurity Awareness Challenge
     
• I submitted my video. How can I be sure you received it?
  • If you run into any issues or want to verify we've received your submission, you can email Caitlin Chavez-Moats (moatsc@uw.edu) 
     
• When will I know the results of the challenge?
  • After the submission period closes on October 31st, video submissions will be reviewed by the challenge committee. All winners will be announced at the awards ceremony (date TBD)
     
• Do I need to appear in the video?
  • You do not have to show yourself, or others, on camera if you choose not to. It can be a voiceover of a video or powerpoint slides. Just make it interesting!