On Sunday, October 1st, the best young cyber defense talent was announced at Noblessner Foundry. Marko Tsengov, a second-year informatics student at the University of Tartu, won the CyberSpike 2023 final. TalTech students and an alumnus made it to the top six in the final competition.
Siim Alatalu, the CEO of CR14 Foundation of the Ministry of Defense, the organizer of the competition, emphasized that it is very important to pay attention to young talents. "Today they are competing here on the practice field, and tomorrow they will contribute to ensuring Estonia's cyber security. Young people have the freshest view of future threats, which we can use for the benefit of society,'' added Siim Alatalu.
Competition winner Marko Tsengov liked the diversity of this year's CyberSpike. "I feel good that I was able to prove myself in such a tight competition," rejoiced Marko Tsengov, who added that after studying informatics, he definitely plans a career in the field of cyber defense.
Second place went to Rico-Andreas Lepp (University of Tartu, Cybernetica) and third place to Jaan Artur Viirsalu (Hugo Treffner Gymnasium). A team will be assembled from the best of CyberSpike 2023 to represent Estonia at the European Cyber Security Challenge 2024. Mikk Margus Möll (TalTech alumnus), Markus Veerbaum (TalTech) and Ergo Adams (TalTech) were among the first six.
According to Gert Jervan, Dean of TalTech's School of IT, 90,000 young people have gone through TalTech's cyber protection and security programs over the course of eight years, and this Cyber Olympics has been supported by the Ministry of Defense together with Eesti Interneti SA. "However, more important is the meaning and goal that we have been able to implement in cooperation with our many partners - thanks to the cyber talents found, the Estonian state will be able to remain a leader in the information society in the future," said Jervan.
The Dean noted that the CyberSpike competition, which has been run by TalTech IT College senior researcher Birgy Lorenz in recent years, has become a symbol of strengthening national cyber security through talent discovery, raising awareness of cyber threats and international cooperation. "Tallinn University of Technology's role is to support the community formed during competitions and trainings and to offer top-level knowledge and a network for life to talents both in bachelor's, master's and doctoral studies," stated Gert Jervan. He added that over the years, we have developed the skills of young people and given them practical experience and challenges, with which they hone technical skills, problem-solving abilities and practice teamwork.
In addition to the CyberSpike final, an entertaining and educational competition and trade fair day Targa Tuleviku Tuleproov, open to everyone, was held on Sunday, the focus of which was to find solutions to the challenges of the cyber world. In the fair area managed by entrepreneurs, guests could try their hand and knowledge in workshops. The event launched October as Cyber Month.
The organizing partners of the event were the CR14 Foundation, the University of Tartu School of Science, TalTech, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Defense, CybExer Technologies and Miltton.