Andrew McClurg
IT Analyst - Security,
Syracuse University
The Last SOC Student Employee: Using a Capture-the-Flag Competition to Engage Potential Student Employees
Tuesday, May 02, 2023 | 4:15PM–5:00PM PT | Cedar Ballroom, Second Floor
Session Type:
Breakout Session
Delivery Format:
Presentation/Panel Session
How do you identify student employees who have an interest in security and the ability to problem-solve in areas outside of their experience? Resumes and short interviews and can only tell you so much. Through a free platform, Syracuse University hosted a capture-the-flag (CTF) competition to engage students interested in security and help identify students to recruit as future SOC employees. Unlike traditional employment assessments, CTFs provide a way for security departments to evaluate a wide range of skills in a real-world, hands-on setting. While CTF competitions are not a stand-alone employment assessment solution, when used in conjunction with other methods of evaluating candidates they can provide a deeper understanding of a student’s interest in the security field.