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Students take on cyberattack scenario as global challenge returns to Scotland for third year
University and college students from across Scotland took on the role of senior government policy advisors in a simulated cyberattack scenario as part of an annual competition organised by the Atlantic Council.
For the third consecutive year, Abertay University’s cyberQuarter hosted the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, where students were tasked with leading decision-making and crisis management in response to a major cyber incident.
This unique competition, run in partnership with the Atlantic Council, a foreign policy think tank based in Washington, DC, is designed to give students from diverse academic backgrounds a deeper understanding of the complex policy and strategic challenges involved in navigating trade-offs during a cyber crisis.
Combining interactive learning with competitive scenario exercises, it pushes students to react to a dynamic, realistic scenario, analyse threats to national, international, and private-sector interests, and offer recommendations for the most effective actions to mitigate the crisis.
This year’s competition, held online for the first time, featured teams from Abertay University, the University of Glasgow, the University of Stirling, Strathclyde University, the University of Edinburgh, Dundee and Angus College, and Fife College.
The “NULL SEC” team from Dundee and Angus College claimed the top prize, while two teams from the University of Glasgow secured the runner-up and third place positions.
Ollie Killean, team lead for NULL SEC, said:
We all thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Cyber 9/12 event. It introduced us to how politics and cybersecurity can interact so closely and allowed us to meet and connect with people actively engaged with policy and the cybersecurity industry. I hope that D&A winning shows other colleges that attending the event next year is well worth the effort.
Senior cybersecurity professionals from Microsoft, Evalian Limited, Europol, and Adobe were among the judging panels charged with assessing the students’ performance.
The event was sponsored by DigiTay, the Tay Cities Digital Skills Project which is part of the £20 million Regional Skills and Employability Development Programme, funded by the Scottish and UK governments through the Tay Cities Region Deal.
The Scottish Government’s Higher and Further Education Minister Graeme Dey said:
Congratulations to Dundee and Angus College and to all the participants who made this year’s Cyber 9/12 challenge such a success. The Scottish Government is aware of the challenges that growing digital technologies can present, which is why it is so important to inspire the next generation of cyber security professionals. Competitions like this will help ensure that Scotland is a digitally secure and resilient nation.
Professor Lynne Coventry, Director of the cyberQuarter, said:
This kind of collaboration between industry and academia lies at the core of Abertay cyberQuarter’s mission. The innovative perspectives and lateral thinking presented by the students have truly invigorated the competition and inspired our judging panel. It is crucial for Scotland to continually seek out fresh and innovative methods to advance cybersecurity, develop new strategies for the sector, and create job opportunities within the industry, all while enhancing the country’s overall cyber resilience.
Robyn Steven, Project Manager, DigiTay, said:
Events like the Cyber 9/12 highlight the importance of developing a skilled and agile workforce capable of addressing real-world cyber threats. At DigiTay, we are proud to support initiatives that bridge the gap between academic learning and industry needs, helping the Tay Cities region strengthen its position as a hub for digital innovation and resilience.
Safa Shahwan Edwards, Director for Capacity Building and Communities at the Atlantic Council, said:
We're thrilled to see such strong turnout from colleges and universities across Scotland, highlighting the demand from both the next generation and employers for interdisciplinary talent in addition to technical literacy. We're honoured to collaborate with such committed partners at the cyberQuarter, Dewar Cyber Consulting, and the Scottish Government to develop a more diverse and cyber-ready workforce that is prepared for tomorrow's cyber resilience challenges.
George McAteer, Curriculum & Quality Leader, Dundee & Angus College, said:
We could not be prouder of our students. Their victory is a testament to their hard work, strategic thinking, and ability to collaborate under pressure. Witnessing their performance at such a high-profile competition has been an absolute privilege, and we are still buzzing from the win!
About the Tay Cities Region Deal
The Tay Cities Region Deal is a partnership between local, Scottish and UK governments and the private, academic, and voluntary sectors which seeks to create a smarter and fairer Angus, Dundee, Fife, and Perth & Kinross under the headings Inclusive Tay; Innovative Tay; International Tay; Connected Tay and An Empowered Tay.
The Scottish Government and UK Government will each invest up to £150 million in the Tay Cities Region Deal over 10 years, subject to final approval of robust business cases.
As of 30th September 2023, £231million has been approved by Governments and the Partnership for investment and over 1,400 jobs have been created.
This central investment from both Governments has the potential to lever in £400m of investment over 15 years, of which more than £145million has already been secured by Projects.
Full and further information on the progress the Deal has made to date on securing investment and jobs, can be found within the Annual Performance Report located on the Tay Cities Region Deal website - https://www.taycities.co.uk/publications.
