HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Hanscom Airmen who run networks and security for the Air Force mentored students from two local schools for several months to train them for the Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot competition.
The AFA recruited teams of middle- and high-school students throughout the country. Teams competed in a multi-tiered competition at the state and national level, asking squads to tackle common small IT network tasks like setting up access privileges for users and limiting port access to protect from outside incursion. Hanscom Airmen served as mentors for Hanscom Middle School and Bedford (Mass.) High School.
“We had several students who were naturals,” said Maj. Mark Cole, who manages the Air Force’s Cyber Defense Weapons System. The Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks program executive office here manages the weapons system, which protects the entire Air Force network from attack. Cole mentored students from Bedford High School.
“What I learned was that many students are very computer-literate, but few had ever thought about what it takes to keep information technology secure. They didn’t understand you can create vulnerabilities by just accessing Facebook or streaming content on YouTube.”
The local AFA chapter funded the five-student high-school team, led by retired Master Sgt. Charlie Humphrey, who is active in the high school and commands the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps detachment. Another team mentored by Hanscom Airmen, consisting of eight students from Hanscom Middle School, also competed statewide, despite practicing for only four months, half the typical training time for other teams.
During competition, each team attempted to set up security architecture for imaged computers running Microsoft, Linux and Ubuntu operating systems. This tested each student’s ability to work in varied security environments and establish controls within a small network that would keep systems safe from phishing, hacking and information breaches.
“This was a good start for us, and I think the next years, when we get started on time in May, will give us the chance to be more competitive,” said 2nd Lt. Gregory Barrow, a cyber vulnerability manager for C3I&N. Barrow worked with both the middle- and high-school teams. “I was surprised by the different backgrounds the kids who participated had. We had athletes and drama students. Everyone learned a little about how the cell phones attached to their hips and computers they use for school work in a network.”