To participate in the European Cyber Security Challenge 2022 in Vienna, please check the list of Participants to see which countries are taking part in the event this year. If your country is on the list, you can contact them through the official website. If your country is not currently involved, please make sure you check back for updates on the ECSC 2022 competition. Will take place in Vienna, Austria, from September 13-17, 2022.
Supporting IT Professionals
The growing need for IT security professionals is widely acknowledged worldwide. To help mitigate this shortage of skills, many countries launched national cybersecurity competitions targeting towards students, university graduates or even non-ICT professionals with a clear aim to find new and young cyber talents and encourage young people to pursue a career in cyber security. The European Cyber Security Challenge (ECSC) leverages on these competitions by adding a pan-European layer.
The European Cyber Security Challenge is an initiative by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and aims at enhancing cybersecurity talent across Europe and connecting high potentials with industry leading organizations.
European countries host their national cybersecurity competitions. The winners of the national contests represent their countries in the ECSC. Similar to the ECSC, the national cybersecurity competitions consist of security-related challenges from domains such as web security, mobile security, crypto puzzles, reverse engineering, and forensics, which the participants have to solve in order to collect points. The individuals with the most points win the competition and secure a place in their national team, which will go on to compete in the ECSC finals.
To participate in the European Cyber Security Challenge, please check the list of Participants to see which countries are taking part in the event.
Rules for participation in the “France Cybersecurity Challenge” (FCSC) FCSC Challenge definitions:
IT competition organized in France for young talents in cybersecurity, aged 14 to 25. It is led by the National Information Systems Security Agency (ANSSI) and consists of technical tests to be solved individually. Participant: natural person fulfilling the eligibility conditions as provided for in these rules in article 2.1. Out-of-category user: natural person who does not meet the eligibility criteria set out in article 2.1 of these rules or who does not wish to qualify for the European Cybersecurity Challenge (ECSC) and registered in the “out-of-category” category.
Article 1 –
Purpose The National Information Systems Security Agency (ANSSI) is organizing an IT competition in France for young talents in cybersecurity, aged 14 to 25. Each stage of the national competition will be divided into two categories: junior and senior. The “France Cybersecurity Challenge” competition will take place from April 29 to May 8, 2022. ANSSI will cover part of the costs related to the FCSC national challenge within the limits of what is provided for in article 4 – Terms and conditions of attendance.
Article 2 – Eligibility of Participants
2.1 Conditions Participation in all stages of the FCSC National Challenge for the purpose of selection for the ECSC European Challenge requires the fulfillment of the following conditions: ? be a natural person; ? be of French nationality; ? be between fourteen and twenty-five years of age on December 31, 2022. o Junior: be born in 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 or 2002 o Senior: be born in 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998 or 1997 The same person can only apply once and can only take part once in the national selection tests. In the event of multiple registrations, only the first validly registered participation will be taken into account without this giving rise to any dispute of any kind. Participation in the Challenge is strictly personal and nominative.
2.2 Out of category Can participate in the technical events made available by the National Organizer by registering in the “out of category” register during the online competition (designated Out of Category Users): ? The staff (permanent agents and trainees) of the National Organizer and its partners and service providers; ? Participants who do not meet the eligibility conditions in terms of age or nationality or who do not wish to qualify for the European Cybersecurity Challenge.
Clause 3 –
Announcement of the competition The competition is announced on the following communication channels: ? https://www.ssi.gouv.fr/ and the social networks of the National Organizer? Any other dissemination medium deemed appropriate
Clause 4 –
Terms and conditions of participation The national competition is organized in one stage, which gives rise to a score attributed to the participant and may determine his possible selection for the French team following an individual interview. Information on the different stages as well as the associated rankings will be regularly updated on the ANSSI website (https://www.ssi.gouv.fr/). Participation in the events of the national competition implies the unreserved acceptance of these rules.
4.1. The national competition (FCSC) The Participant is invited to connect to the platform made available by ANSSI (france-cybersecurity-challenge.fr)) and to fill in the information requested to access the technical tests online. The elements to be provided when registering on the platform are as follows: an identifier (username), a password, an email address and the category of participation. Access to the online technical tests will only be possible after validation of the email address provided during registration. Only applications from Participants registered in the “junior” and “senior” categories will be considered for the FCSC final. Participation in the technical events is open from April 29 to May 8, 2022. All the events will be available during this period, with a progressive online publication. The Participant must satisfy the technical tests submitted and whose level of difficulty ranges from simple to high. A point system determines its ranking. Additional write-up information may be requested to decide between Participants if necessary. These write-ups will be requested in English for players in the senior category.
4.2 The selection of the French team Participation in the selection presupposes having been ranked among the first three players of the junior category or the first three players of the senior category, or the first three of one of the five categories of proofs (reverse, crypto, hardware, exploitation and web). The Participants will then be received in an individual interview during which they will be asked technical questions. At the end of this phase, 5 players will be selected in each age category to form the France Team and must send the National Organizer a copy of their valid identity document as well as the following information: telephone number and mailing address. Participants under the age of 18 must add a participation authorization signed by their legal representative (father, mother or legal guardian) accompanied by a copy of a valid identity document of the latter.
4.4 Calendar April / May May / June July September November Stage 1 – FCSC Challenge: from April 29 Stage 2 – Selection of April / May May / June July September November to May 8, 2022 the France Team Announcement of the Team at the latest July 4, 2022
Clause 5 –
Designation of the selected Participants The Participants will be designated at the end of the national competition according to the methods described above. The ranking, carried out after the online technical tests and interviews, is operated by ANSSI. It will seek the expertise of trainers and information systems security professionals designated within ANSSI. The results will be announced on the ANSSI website (https://www.ssi.gouv.fr/) and updated in the event of withdrawal by one or more Participants. ? Stage 1 – FCSC: May 9, 2022; ? Stage 2 – French team: July 4, 2022 at the latest
Section 6 –
Prize The prizes awarded to Participants will be determined by ANSSI according to the ranking.
Clause 7 –
Proclamation of the results The proclamation of the results takes place at the end of the FCSC National Challenge on May 9, 2022.
Clause 8 –
Limit of liability ANSSI cannot be held liable if, in the event of force majeure or an event beyond its control, the FCSC National Challenge or participation in it should be cancelled, extended, shortened, modified or postponed. Any change will be subject to prior information by any appropriate means. In the event of changes to these rules, the Participant will be notified. ANSSI cannot be held responsible for any malfunction of the “internet” network preventing the smooth running of the FCSC National Challenge events. The connection of any person to the site and participation in the competition is under their full responsibility. It is therefore up to any Participant to take all appropriate measures to protect their own data and/or software stored on their information system. The terms of the FCSC National Challenge cannot give rise to any dispute of any kind. ANSSI may cancel or suspend all or part of participation in the FCSC National Challenge if it appears that fraud has occurred in any form whatsoever, in particular in a computerized manner within the framework of participation in the tests, and/or in case of communication of erroneous information.
Clause 9 –
Image rights Unless expressly requested by the Participant, made by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt addressed to ANSSI, 51 boulevard de la Tour Maubourg, 75700 Paris 07 SP, ANSSI reserves the right to indicate in its communication relating to participation in the Challenge: the names and surnames of the Participants as well as photos of the different stages of the competition. As such, the Participant accepts that his surname and first name as well as his image are used only in this context. This communication does not confer on the Participants concerned any remuneration, right or advantage whatsoever other than the award of the prize provided for in these rules.
Clause 10 –
Protection of personal data The personal data communicated by the Participants will be subject to computer processing by ANSSI (51 boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg, 75700 Paris 07 SP). In accordance with the regulations relating to the protection of personal data in force, Participants may object to the processing of data concerning them and have the right to access, rectify and delete their data by writing to the following e-mail address: [email protected]. The data collected is mandatory to participate in the FCSC National Challenge. Consequently, persons who exercise the right to delete data concerning them before the end of the FCSC National Challenge are deemed to waive their participation if it has not already ended during the national selection events. ANSSI may also be required to transmit this data to its partners when this transmission is part of the FCSC National Challenge. At any time, Participants may contact ANSSI to request the cessation of such use of their personal data, by writing to the following email address: [email protected]. In the absence of a response within 30 days, it is also possible to file a complaint with the CNIL. The personal data of Participants pre-selected for the FCSC final will be kept for a reasonable period of time. The personal data of the other Participants will be destroyed when the platform made available by ANSSI for the technical tests of the first selection is deactivated.
Article 11 – Rules
11.1. Acceptation du règlement La participation au concours implique l’acceptation pure et simple du présent règlement dans son intégralité, sans condition ni réserve.
11.2. Contestation Toute contestation ou réclamation relative au Challenge national FCSC devra être adressée par écrit à l’adresse suivante ANSSI, 51 boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg, 75700 Paris 07 SP, dans un délai d’un mois à compter de la clôture du Challenge national FCSC.
11.3. Consultation Le règlement complet est librement consultable et imprimable sur : https://www.ssi.gouv.fr/
Article 12 –
Fraudes et loi applicable Toute fraude ou non-respect du présent règlement pourra donner lieu à l’exclusion du concours pour son auteur. Le présent règlement est soumis à la loi française. En cas de désaccord persistant relatif à l’interprétation et l’application du présent règlement, et à défaut d’accord amiable, le litige relèvera des juridictions compétentes du ressort de Paris.