Tampa, Florida, February 12th, 2024: The January 2024 Global C|EH Compete Challenge, hosted by EC-Council, inventor of the Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH) certification, and a global leader in cybersecurity education and training, witnessed the world’s top ethical hackers showcasing their unparalleled skills in investigating operational technology exploitations. In a particularly challenging simulated mission, participants delved into a critical infrastructure scenario, highlighting the significance of cybersecurity challenges and their crucial role in addressing evolving threats.
The challenge tasked ethical hackers with investigating a potential operational technology (OT) exploitation incident within a critical infrastructure organization responsible for managing a large-scale water treatment facility. The organization detected unusual behavior in its OT systems, sparking concerns about access to critical control systems. The simulated investigation not only required participants to identify the source of the intrusion and assess the extent of the breach but also to recommend actions to mitigate and prevent future incidents.
These challenges reinforce the need for cybersecurity professionals to be versatile, strategic, and well-versed in the intricacies of OT systems. Ethical hackers, through simulations like these, enhance their abilities to identify and counteract cyber threats, ultimately contributing to the resilience of critical systems.
The participants demonstrated exceptional skill and strategic thinking, vying for coveted positions within the top 10 on the leaderboard. Following an intense competition, Ashraf Aljawhary emerged victorious, hailing from US, closely followed by Argyri Eleni Asimakopoulou from Greece and Pierre-Yves Guerder from France, securing second and third places, respectively.
EC-Council extends sincere congratulations to its Accredited Training Centers: Hellenic American Education Centre in Greece, Synnex Metrodata Indonesia PT. in Indonesia, Hacker School (A Subsidiary of Cartel Software Pvt. Ltd.) – Hyderabad and Redteam Hacker Academy in India and NET Computer in Poland. These centers have consistently delivered exceptional C|EH training, guiding their students to excel and secure positions within the top ten ranks on the esteemed C|EH Global Challenge Leaderboard.
Competitions like the C|EH Compete Challenge serve as a catalyst for innovation, fostering a community of ethical hackers dedicated to staying ahead of emerging threats. The importance of such challenges lies in their ability to mirror real-world cybersecurity scenarios, providing participants with opportunities to apply their expertise in securing essential infrastructure.
As the January challenge concludes, EC-Council applauds the commitment of all participants to advancing cybersecurity knowledge and skills. The insights gained from this simulated scenario contribute not only to individual professional development but also to the collective strength of the cybersecurity community in safeguarding critical infrastructure.
Download the Latest Threat Report of 2024. EC-Council CEH Threat Report 2024
About EC-Council
EC-Council invented the Certified Ethical Hacker. Founded in 2001 in response to 9/11, EC-Council’s mission is to provide the training and certifications apprentice and experienced cybersecurity professionals need to keep corporations, government agencies and others who employ them safe from attack.
Best known for its Certified Ethical Hacker program, EC-Council today offers 200 different pieces of training, certificates, and degrees in everything from Computer Forensic Investigation and Security Analysis to Threat Intelligence and Information Security. An ISO/IEC 17024 Accredited Organization recognized under the U.S. Defense Department Directive 8140/8570 and many other authoritative cybersecurity bodies worldwide, the company has certified over 350,000 professionals across the globe. Trusted by seven of the Fortune 10, half of the Fortune 100, and the intelligence communities of 150 nations, EC-Council is the gold standard in cybersecurity education and certification.
A truly global organization with a driving belief in bringing diversity, equity, and inclusion to the modern cybersecurity workforce, EC-Council maintains 11 offices in the US, the UK, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. The company can be reached online at https://www.eccouncil.org/
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