USC Brings Home First Place

A group of computer science students won the annual Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition in Charleston on April 12. They beat out seven other South Carolina colleges and universities to earn the title.
 
The USC Cyber Security team, made up of six College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) students as well as a CEC staff advisor, competed in the competition.
 
“The challenge is designed to test students’ skills in real world computer security scenarios that they may meet as a system administrator or in the workplace,” said Ronni Wilkinson, advisor. “This year’s test - protect a complex IT infrastructure of a popular gaming company from attacks by cyber criminals.”
 
Catharine West, a junior computer science and engineering student, also earned the Most Valuable Player award.

“Most of what we learn on a day to day basis in class is theoretical,” said West. “This is practical, it is a great test of what we may face once we graduate and begin our careers.”