Coders to charge up for #SS24Hack at ideathons
Tiyani Nghonyama, Geekulcha COO. (Photograph by Lesley Moyo)
Leading up to the much-anticipated ITWeb Security Summit 2024 hackathon, SS24Hack, participants will have the opportunity to sharpen their skills and brainstorm innovative ideas through two exclusive ideathons.
The annual cyber security-focused hackathons are organised by ITWeb in partnership with Geekulcha. Other main sponsors are Snode Technologies (Snode) and CompTIA.
The ideathons are slated for April 13th, 2024, at North-West University (NWU) in Vaal, and another one the April 20th at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). These events precede the main competition and will be led by a distinguished panel of industry experts, offering invaluable training sessions and mentorship to aid attendees in crafting their cyber security solutions.
Participants from Kimberly and Mapotla Village from the Vuliingqondo digital lab will also be joining virtually.
During these sessions, teams will be selected to advance to the Security Summit Hackathon, taking place from 4-5 June in Johannesburg.
This year’s SS24Hack challenge GenZ developers to build secure solutions capable of withstanding AI-driven threats. Themed 'Generation Hacker: GenZ vs GenAI,' the hackathon invites young developers nationwide to form teams and address diverse cyber security challenges.
SS24Hack will consist of three primary challenges:
- Secure Innovation, tasking participants with constructing secure-by-design solutions for business applications;
- Capture the Flag Challenge, a "Red vs Blue" competition presented by Telspace Africa (Red Team) and Snode and CompTIA (Blue Team);
- PaperCut, an innovative AI challenge centred on real-time threat detection utilising AI.
The hackathon, as described by Geekulcha COO Tiyani Nghonyama, aims to develop cyber capabilities among young developers and help strengthen South Africa's cyber security landscape.
"It is imperative that South Africa builds foresighted cyber capabilities, and this can be done by mobilising and building a secure-by-design mind-set among young and upcoming developers," said Nghonyama.
Participants will also have the opportunity to be mentored by local and international experts, as well as earn certifications in cyber security.
Nghonyama emphasised the hackathon's role is skills development, stating, "A hackathon is a place to challenge yourself, but most importantly, it's a growth platform. SS24Hack will help you kick-start new career prospects or even get hired by our partners and/or from the pool of the [ITWeb Security] summit itself."
Interested young coders can register for the SS24Hack at this link: https://www.itweb.co.za/event/itweb-security-summit-2024/hackathon