UMass Dartmouth students put their cybersecurity skills to the test in a fast-paced, hands-on hackathon designed to mirror real-world threats
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This spring, students in UMass Dartmouth’s College of Engineering community stepped out of the classroom and into a real-world cybersecurity challenge during a student-led hackathon hosted by the Cyber Secure Computing Club (CSCC).
Under the guidance of faculty advisor Dr. Ashok Patel, the CSCC Cybersecurity Hackathon brought together 20 teams of undergraduate and graduate students for a fast-paced, five-hour “capture-the-flag” (CTF) competition. The event challenged participants to identify and solve simulated security vulnerabilities, mirroring the kinds of threats cybersecurity professionals confront every day.
More than just a competition, the hackathon underscored UMass Dartmouth’s commitment to experiential learning in one of today’s most in-demand fields. Students worked collaboratively to analyze problems, think critically under pressure, and apply concepts from their coursework in a dynamic, hands-on environment.
The event drew strong participation from across different majors, including computer science, data science, management information systems, and biomedical engineering. Teams navigated a series of progressively challenging scenarios designed to expose common web vulnerabilities, sharpening both their technical abilities and their problem-solving mindset.
Events like the CSCC hackathon highlight the strength of UMass Dartmouth’s cybersecurity education, where students don’t just learn concepts; they practice them. According to the National Security Agency and the National Centers for Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity program, UMass Dartmouth is a designated Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Research (NCAE-R), a distinction applied to only 97 universities nationwide.
As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, so too does the need for skilled professionals. Through initiatives like this, our students are already building the knowledge and hands-on experience needed to meet that challenge head-on.