Local Bayside team in ‘CyberCenturion’ schools challenge final

A team of Bayside students are competing in the Grand Final of the 2016 which takes place at Bletchley Park this evening.

Head of Physics at Bayside secondary school, Stewart Harrison, is accompanying the seven students.

The competition is “entirely focused on the security aspect, basically to stop people hacking into your computer or device,” said Mr Harrison.

“We have been competing in the CyberCenturion competition over the past few months, which is a competition about secure systems, different forensic questions based on computer science, tracking emails, getting rid of viruses, securing networks and making networks better and more user friendly.”

The emphasis of the challenge is to encourage people to take up careers in cyber security and fighting cybercrime.

“There is a massive market for it, it is predicted this year that there will be a million job openings in cyber security in the US alone," he said.

Bwin’s security team has predominately trained the students but some teachers from Bayside have also helped.

“Winning, would mean a lot for the school because we have gone over to the UK and competed against all other grammar and private schools and cyber security clubs. If we were to win this it shows we are the best,” said Mr Harrison.

“We are a very small community but we have people in our community that are good enough to actually do a decent job in security,” he added.