February 17, 2014
Cyber ‘Security Dawgs’ capture state title
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois University Carbondale “Security Dawgs” are once again state champions.
The registered student organization defeated six other teams to win the Illinois Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition on Feb. 15 for a second consecutive year.
The squad advances to the Midwest Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, March 28-29, at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills to face the top teams from Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.
The first-place team in the Midwest will then advance to the eighth annual National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, April 25-27, in San Antonio, Texas.
The win marks the third time since 2006 the team has earned a state title, with second-place finishes in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011. This is the sixth time in eight years the team will advance to Midwest regional competition.
Tom Imboden, a faculty adviser and assistant professor in Information Systems and Applied Technologies, said the team did a “phenomenal job in defending their state title.”
In addition to the competition, more than 110 area high school and community college students attended the SIU Cyber Security Day. The event featured presentations from security experts and gave students an opportunity to tour the school’s facilities and participate in a mock cyber defense competition.