From students to masters: HITB+CyberWeek 2021 showcases next generation of cyber security talent in the UAE
Inspiring journey of Youssef Awad: winner of 2019 Cyber Battle of the Emirates now teaching UAE cyber warriors at HITB+Cyberweek
Abu Dhabi, November 22, 2021: The next generation of UAE cyber talent will again be boosted at HITB+CyberWeek 2021 when the world’s leading cyber security experts come together in Abu Dhabi this week. Brought by DisruptAD, ADQ’s ventures platform, the event is a unique platform for future cyber warriors to showcase their capabilities and accelerate their journeys into the cyber security industry, inspired by the story of Youssef Awad.
During HITB+CyberWeek 2019, Awad was a starring member of the ‘ENIGMA’ team that won the memorable Cyber Battle of the Emirates (CBOE). CBOE 2019 was a training program and hacking competition for high school and university students based in the UAE, hosting 50 of the UAE’s best future cyber talent as they engaged in the ultimate attack and defense ‘Capture the Flag’ (CTF) competition. After being crowned the UAE CBOE winners, the Enigma team went on to compete against the best CTF teams the world had to offer in the Pro Capture the Flag (PRO CTF) competition. It was a pivotal moment for Awad, who realised just how far UAE cyber talent had to go to be up there with the world’s best.
“We won CBOE and couldn’t believe it was happening,” revealed Awad while discussing the inspiration behind CTF.ae. “We were on a high and the next day, we competed at HITB PRO CTF – against the best cyber professionals in the world. We had gotten used to winning and believed it would be a walk in the park, but the next day the world’s best wiped us out. That’s when the reality set in – we still have a long way to go in the UAE.”
Fast forward two years and today Youssef is returning to the event as the master of CTF.ae – the platform he created for newcomers to jump-start their own career ambitions as cyber professionals and along the way, support the ambition of the nation to create a cyber-safe world.
“We turned a setback into a priceless opportunity, using the 2019 experience as motivation to create our own competitions, inspire others to become interested in cyber security, and help onboard future talent that our country needs,” he continued. “That’s when CTF.ae was born – because of that push to always be the best.”
With HITB+CyberWeek 2021 taking place this week, the UAE’s current generation of aspiring talent now has an opportunity to emulate and re-create the kind of success that Awad and his teammates enjoyed in 2019. Awad’s innovative platform, CTF.ae, is hosting a two-day educative CTF for attendees (November 24 and 25) to solve beginner-friendly challenges.
“A ‘no limits’ mindset is part of the winning ability when it comes to cyber security. It means being optimistic, embracing the challenge, and being agile enough to implement change and step up even in daunting situations,” said Awad. “What drives all of us is really wanting to learn how to solve challenges – and we will provide this knowledge. Whether it’s solving just one challenge, participants will gain as much as the person who solved all the challenges.”
Awad, who turns 22 on the first day of the CTF.ae and will soon graduate from the University of Sharjah in Computer Engineering, is encouraging future cyber warriors to participate at HITB+CyberWeek 2021.
“Looking back, I can already see that the beginners we will teach at this year’s HITB+CyberWeek are not that far from us when we were in that same position only a couple of years ago,” he added. “We had the same reticence to take that important first step, but when we did, we loved it.”
Dhillon Kannabhiran, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, HITB, added: “What makes this event so unique is that up-and-coming talent is always inspired to visit and learn before beginning to fulfill their potential as the cyber stars of tomorrow. Youssef’s story is one that already resonates with countless young people across the UAE, and his involvement with us will be invaluable for the talent we welcome this time around.”
HITB+CyberWeek 2021 is taking place from 21-25 November at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). HITB+CyberWeek 2021 is brought by DisruptAD, the ventures platform that aims to connect pioneering, visionary, and entrepreneurial minds to displace the norm and scale globally from Abu Dhabi. For more information on HITB+Cyberweek, and to register, see https://cyberweek.ae/2021/
# # #
About ‘Hack In The Box’
Hack In The Box (HITB) is a series of network security and hacking related conferences held annually around the world. HITB conferences offer cutting-edge hardcore technical talks delivered by some of the most respected names in the computer security industry. Held annually in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, they are among the foremost platforms for the discussion and dissemination of next generation cyber computer security issues. HITB+CyberWeek will bring together the world’s top thinkers and cyber security experts to share the latest knowledge, ideas and techniques among security professionals and students from November 21-25 at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
About DisruptAD
DisruptAD, ADQ's venture platform, was launched to accelerate the future of innovation. The platform offers productive incubation, investment and commercial scaling opportunities for tech start-ups in a state-of-the-art infrastructure for a digital led age. DisruptAD aims to advance R&D and unleash the potential of the UAE’s innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem through highly skilled tech talent. DisruptAD is attracting and creating a thriving community of founders, fund managers, incubators, and accelerators to globally build, support and scale disruptive technologies from Abu Dhabi.
