ABU DHABI // Students of Khalifa University claimed the title as the country’s best ‘ethical hackers’ at the recent du Cyber Security Conference in Dubai.
They secured the top three spots in a competition requiring students to submit ideas for new technologies on cyber security. A team called Raid Force won Dh20,000 and the Hacker of the Year title in the du Hackathon.
To win students had to break into a smart city through its computer systems. Infrastructure systems required to be breached included transport, wind turbines, power plants, airport, communications tower and a water treatment plant.
“The term ‘hacking’ certainly has negative connotations,” said Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Khalifa University’s executive vice president. “But in today’s world, hacking is a necessity for exposing loopholes and flaws in secure systems.”
rtalwar@thenational.ae
