RCACC 2806 POINTE-CLAIRE COMPETES IN MAPLE DEFENDER CYBER COMPETITION
Story by: Lieutenant (N) John Wylie, UPAR RCACC 2806 Pointe-Claire (RMR)
Pointe-Claire, Quebec – 02 April 2024: On Saturday 23 March 2024, RCACC 2806 Pointe-Claire’s cyber team competed in Maple Defender, a dynamic competition designed to engage and challenge cadets in the cyber realm and to cultivate the next generation of digital guardians.
Maple Defender is a national cadet competition where cadets working as a team were tasked with using a virtual operating windows system to find and fix cybersecurity vulnerabilities within a four-hour time-limit. Our cadets performed tasks like installing updates, verifying authorized users, and enforcing password policies. This was the first time the corps has competed in a cyber challenge. At the competition’s closing ceremony our team was presented with the Cyber Spirit Award and two of our cadets were recognized for their hard work and contributions during the challenge. Congratulations to 2806 team’s Most Valuable Player, Corporal Abdullaev and their Cyber Sapling Award recipient Cadet Bernier.
Maple Defender is just one of several initiatives related to cyber security that are offered to cadets. During the summer there will be a 2-week Cyber Safety and Security Team Leader course that will provide cadets with the opportunity to engage with cyber security experts in the Canadian Armed Forces, recognize security measures in Windows and Linux based environments, and participate in a cybersecurity competition. The goal? To educate cadets on safe online behaviours and to prepare them to lead future cybersecurity activities within the cadet program.