Overview

The eCitadel Open is a cyber defense competition that allows anyone to participate. Teams are given an operational network they must secure, operate, and defend. Teams are scored based on their ability to address the security-related issues on their network, detect and respond to outside threats, maintain availability of existing services, and respond to business requests such as the addition or removal of additional services.

Game Play

eCitadel competitions ask teams to assume administrative and protective duties for an existing "commercial" network - typically a small company with multiple users, servers, and common internet services such as a web server, mail server, and e-commerce site. Team actions are scored in near real-time by automated agents providing direct feedback to competitors for both positive actions and negative actions, all while an automated scoring engine is used to verify the functionality and availability of each team's services on a periodic basis. A simulated red team provides the "external threat" all internet-based services face and allows the teams to match their defensive skills against live opponents.

Benefits for Competitors

The eCitadel Open provides an excellent opportunity for teams to practice security, forensic, configuration, and system administration tasks. The defensive and administration skills developed and exercised in eCitadel help prepare students for other events such as CyberPatriot or the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition.

Team Composition

eCitadel teams consist of up to 4 players. Competitors may only participate on a single team during each eCitadel event.

Hardware and Network Requirements

There are no minimum hardware requirements to participate.