Lanarkshire school girls go head-to-head for national CyberFirst Champion title dailyrecord.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailyrecord.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Highgate School winners of the CyberFirst Girls Competition, with teacher Eleonora Fontanesi
- Credit: Highgate School
Students from Highgate School have been crowned UK cyber security champions after triumphing in the final of a nationwide contest.
The winners of the CyberFirst Girls Competition were Year 8 pupils Iva, Imogen, Sophia and Calliope, along with Alexandra, who helped win the qualifying round and the semi-final.
The contest is run by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ,
In this year’s final round – the first to be held online – the ten finalists applied their skills in cryptography, logic and networking to tasks based on a fictional scenario where internet of things devices, including smart kettles and mirrors, were infected with malware.
A lack of gender diversity remains a major issue in a number of industries, and cybersecurity certainly falls into that category. As well as reducing barriers to entry, cultivating an environment where women feel comfortable and want to work in the sector over the long-term is a crucial aspect of addressing the significant imbalance that currently exists between genders. This will enable more women to reach high level, influential roles in the industry, encouraging others to follow in their footsteps.
Infosecurity recently spoke to Lisa Ventura, founder and CEO, UK Cyber Security Association.
In what ways have you seen the impact and role women have in cybersecurity change since you first started working in the industry?
New report shows almost 50,000 people are now employed in UK cyber security
Number of active cyber security firms in the UK increased 21 per cent on last year
Sector contributed more than £4bn to the economy, attracting £800m of investment
Cyber firms have stepped up to help the NHS in the national fight against coronavirus by providing vital technical support
The UK’s growing cyber industry attracted record investment last year despite the global pandemic, according to a new government report.
With Covid-19 forcing more business and social activity online, the new figures reveal an increase in the number of cyber security companies and people working for them, as the government continues its drive to build back safer from the pandemic.