Computer Science and Computer Engineering students from Stevens Institute of Technology placed 4th in the 2010 Northeast Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NECCDC) at the University of Maine.

Gary Brown, Freddy Cera, Jared Cordasco, Joe Geis, Daniel Mayer, Eric Mills, Ted Reed, Simon Sidhom were coached by Professors Susanne Wetzel and Steven Gabarro in this exciting event that pits students against a constant array of cyber attacks and job-related challenges that simulate emergency conditions for which an IT professional must be prepared.

The contest ran from March 3rd-7th and marked the inaugural appearance of a Stevens team. The event begins under the assumption that our student team is a “newly hired IT staff in the companies ‘Grand Chasm’”. In this simulated IT department, the students have access to network infrastructure and the tools they would typically have in the professional work place.

Students get set up in the room, go through a brief overview and then prepare for what’s next.

As soon as our “fake IT staff” is ready to go, the attacks pour in. Students are subject to a barrage of constant cyber attacks in an attempt to cripple their capabilities. As they scramble to secure their network services and remain stable, they are injected with distractions in the form of other IT work that must be completed in tandem. Examples of this can be anything from: setting up a new service; configuring the CEO’s laptop; or writing reports.

The whole scenario is a lesson in “what could happen” during a typical day in the life of a professional information technology employee. The teams that perform the best under pressure and fight off the cyber attacks most effectively win, and advance to the national round.

NECCDC was established in 2004 and is very quickly becoming a highly touted display of academic and professional development in academic programs through the region. This year’s competition had Stevens pitted against prestigious schools with the top three placing as follows:

1. Northeastern University
2. The University of Maine
3. Rochester Institute of Technology

The remaining teams are listed below in alphabetical order. Stevens Institute of Technology came in fourth place at this event.

• Alfred State College
• Champlain College
• Harvard University
• Polytechnic Institute of NYU
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• SUNY Oswego