«Al-Farahidi» Contest – Cyber Security 4 Arab

About ACC ?

Al-Farahidi Cybersecurity Contest aims at the promotion of a sustainable network and ecosystem of cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development in the Arab region. This is aligned with the goals of the Arab Cybersecurity Strategy, namely the following :
• Creating participatory mechanisms by taking advantage of the region's cybersecurity market;
• Developing the capacity of cybersecurity specialists, encouraging professionals and students to get involved, building capacity and developing an integrated cybersecurity training system:
• Increasing community awareness of cybersecurity and Internet-related risks, promoting safe digital practices and encouraging institutions to spread cyber awareness effectively;
•Organizing competitions that support cybersecurity excellence through Arab award programs, encouraging institutions to launch cybersecurity programs, inspiring entrepreneurs to innovate in the field, supporting creative research in academic institutions and encouraging students to be involved in cybersecurity.

ACC Competition encompasses four categories

CTF Competition for Arab Corporate Teams

CTF Competition for Arab Law Enforcement Authorities

Best Arab Research Award in Cybersecurity

Bug Hunting Competition

Orientations CTF Competition for Arab Corporate teams

Are you ready to showcase your organization's cybersecurity prowess on a global stage?

A prestigious Capture the (CTF) competition designed exclusively for corporate teams and professionals. In an age where cyber threats are more sophisticated than ever, it's imperative for organizations to fortify their defenses and elevate their cybersecurity competencies. The Corporate Cybersecurity Challenge serves as a dynamic platform to achieve these vital objectives:

Test and Enhance Technical Skills: Competitors will face a series of real-world cybersecurity challenges that demand a deep understanding of security concepts, tools, and techniques. This hands-on experience will sharpen your team's technical skills and cyber-defense capabilities.

Faster Team Collaboration: The competition promotes collaboration among your organization's brightest minds, encouraging them to work together to solve intricate security puzzles and scenarios.

Benchmark against Industry Standards: Measure your organizations cybersecurity readiness against industry benchmarks. The Corporate Cybersecurity Challenge provides an invaluable opportunity to assess your teamus performance and identity areas for improvement.

Showcase Your Company's Expertise: Winning this competition not only eams your organization recognition but also demonstrates your commitment to cybersecurity excellence. It's a tangible testament to your dedication to safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining the highest security standards.

CTF Competition for Arab Law Enforcement Authorities

The CTF Competition for Arab Law Enforcement Authorities, is an exclusive competition tailored for the guardians of justice and privacy in the Arab world. In today's digital age, where information is power, mastering data security and privacy competencies is paramount to the relentless fight against cybercrimes and the ever-looming specter of cyberwars. This unique event is dedicated to law enforcement agencies in the Arab region, committed to protecting sensitive information, a mission that lies at the heart of defeating diverse cyber threats, from cybercriminals to state-sponsored hackers. The Arab Region Law Enforcement Data Security Challenge underscores the absolute importance of data security and privacy competencies as the linchpin in the battle against cybercrimes and potential cyberwars.

Best Arab Research Award in Cybersecurity

The "Best Arab Researche Award in Cybersecurity" is an award given to individuals or teams for their outstanding contributions to a specific cybersecurity research area. This award aims to recognize excellence in original research, innovative thinking, and the quality and impact of published work. The award is open to papers published by international journals, conferences or symposiums. The focus of this competition is on research work raising Arab- related cybersecurity issues with practical impact on the region. The eligibility is limited to researchers affiliated to Arab academic institutions, research centers, organizations, etc. The selection criteria for the award consider factors such as the originality and significance of the research, and the quality and impact of the publication. Winning the "Best Arab Researche Award in Cybersecurity" can be an important achievement for a researcher or research team, as it recognizes their expertise and contributions to the cybersecurity field within the Arab region. It can also provide visibility for their work, which can help to increase opportunities for collaborations with other research teams in the region.

Bug Hunting Competition

The Bug Hunting Competition is open for hunters who want to get awarded for finding and reporting vulnerabilities in a given system or application. This competition is an opportunity for hunters from the Arab world to learn and develop new skills. As the competition gather participants from both academic and industrial sectors, they will have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with other cybersecurity professionals. In addition to the prize, winning the competition can bring recognition and establish reputation for the winner.

The first edition

We are thrilled to announce that "AL-FARAHIDI Cybersecurity Contest" will be held on the 5th of December 2023 in conjunction with the "Arab Cybersecurity Forum 23". The competitions aim to uphold cybersecurity excellence within the region, encourage institutions to launch cybersecurity programs, inspire entrepreneurs to innovate in the field and support creative research in academic institutions. Two competition categories are open to submission during the event: CTF Competition for Arab Corporate Teams • Best Arab Research Award in Cybersecurity

CTF Competition for Arab Corporate Teams

Eligibility criteria:
- Team size: 4-2 members
- Affiliation: All team members must have an employment contract with a company registered in a country member of the Arab League of States. The duration of the contract must be longer than one year.
Competition mode:
- Online
Timeline:
- Finals: 5-4 December 2023
Prizes:
- 1st prize: 1500 USD + Certification vouchers
- 2nd prize: 1000 USD+ Certification vouchers
- 3rd prize: 500 USD + Certification vouchers

Best Arab Research Award in Cybersecurity

Affiliation:
- The first author must be affiliated to an institution established in a member
- No more than one author can be affiliated to a non-member country of the League of Arab States
Competition mode:
- The evaluation committee will be announced soon
Timeline:
- Paper submission: 1st of November 2023
- Notification: 5-4 December 2023
Prizes:
- 1st prize: 1500 USD + Certification vouchers
- 2nd prize: 1000 USD+ Certification vouchers
- 3rd prize: 500 USD +Certification vouchers

Contest Cybersecurity

The Cybersecurity Contest is named after Al-Farahidi (786 718 CE), who authored Kitab al-Muamma «Book of Cryptographic Messages». This was the first book on cryptography and cryptanalysis written by a linguist. This seminal work contains many new concepts, including the use of permutations and combinations to list all possible Arabic words with and without vowels. Later Arab cryptographers explicitly resorted to al-Farahidis phonological analysis for calculating letter frequency in their own works. His work on cryptography influenced al-Kindi (-801 873 CE), who discovered the method of cryptanalysis by frequency analysis.

IN MORE DETAIL

Contest Website