CyberPatriot
VII
www.uscyberpatriot.org
National Youth Cyber Defense Competition
Rules and Procedures
The Air Force Association
1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, Virginia 22209-1198 (877)-885-5716 www.afa.org
CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COMMISSIONER’S NOTE……………………………………………………………………………………………………..vi
INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………vii
CHAPTER 1. CYBERPATRIOT ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTICIPANTS
COMPETITION STAFF .........................................................................................................1001
COMPETITION DIVISIONS ..................................................................................................1002
TEAMS................................................................................................................................1003
COACH ...............................................................................................................................1004
COMPETITORS ...................................................................................................................1005
MENTORS ..........................................................................................................................1006
TEAM ASSISTANTS .............................................................................................................1007
CYBERPATRIOT CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.........................................................................1008
CYBERPATRIOT RULES ADVISORY GROUP (CRAG) ............................................................1009
CHAPTER 2. REGISTRATION
GENERAL ............................................................................................................................2001
COACH REGISTRATION ......................................................................................................2002
MENTOR AND TEAM ASSISTANT REGISTRATION ..............................................................2003
COMPETITOR REGISTRATION ............................................................................................2004
TEAM REGISTRATION FEE ..................................................................................................2005
CHAPTER 3. PREPARATION
GENERAL ............................................................................................................................3001
RECRUITING .......................................................................................................................3002
COMPETITION TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS .....................................................................3003
TRAINING ...........................................................................................................................3004
CHAPTER 4. ONLINE COMPETITION ROUND PROCEDURES
GENERAL ............................................................................................................................4001
COMPETITION WINDOWS .................................................................................................4002
COMPETITION COMMUNICATION ....................................................................................4003
COMPETITION EVENTS ......................................................................................................4004
TECHNICAL SUPPORT.........................................................................................................4005
REGIONS ............................................................................................................................4006
CATEGORIES.......................................................................................................................4007
SCORING ............................................................................................................................4008
OPEN AND ALL SERVICE DIVISION COMPETITION STRUCTURE AND ADVANCEMENT .....4009
MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION COMPETITION STRUCTURE AND ADVANCEMENT ................4010
ALTERNATE COMPETITION TIMES .....................................................................................4011
RESULTS PUBLICATION ......................................................................................................4012
CHAPTER 5. ONLINE COMPETITION ROUND RULES
GENERAL ............................................................................................................................5001
TIME RESTRICTIONS...........................................................................................................5002
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
REGISTERED COMPETITORS ..............................................................................................5003
NO OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE ..................................................................................................5004
SHARING OF COMPETITION IMAGES, SOFTWARE, AND INFORMATION ..........................5005
ONE INSTANCE PER COMPETITION IMAGE AND SOFTWARE ............................................5006
INTERNET CONNECTIVITY REQUIRED ...............................................................................5007
OFFENSIVE ACTIVITY AND TAMPERING PROHIBITED........................................................5008
RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................5009
OVERSIGHT ........................................................................................................................5010
INQUIRIES ..........................................................................................................................5011
PENALTIES..........................................................................................................................5012
APPEALS, BACKUP DATE REQUESTS, AND SCORE CORRECTION REQUESTS .....................5013
CHAPTER 6. THE NATIONAL FINALS COMPETITION
GENERAL ............................................................................................................................6001
GROUPS .............................................................................................................................6002
COMPETITION EVENTS ......................................................................................................6003
INTERNATIONAL TEAMS ....................................................................................................6004
MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION TEAMS....................................................................................6005
NO ELECTRONIC MEDIA.....................................................................................................6006
CHAPTER 7. AWARDS
GENERAL ............................................................................................................................7001
AWARD AUTHORITIES .......................................................................................................7002
AFA STATE AWARDS ..........................................................................................................7003
REGIONAL AWARDS...........................................................................................................7004
CATEGORY AWARDS ..........................................................................................................7005
SEMIFINALS RECOGNITION ...............................................................................................7006
TIER CERTIFICATES .............................................................................................................7007
THE NATIONAL FINALS COMPETITION AWARDS...............................................................7008
CYBERPATRIOT COACHES AND MENTORS OF THE YEAR ..................................................7009
RECOGNITION HONORS.....................................................................................................7010
APPENDICES
COACH AGREEMENT..........................................................................................................I
STANDARDS OF CONDUCT ................................................................................................II
HOME SCHOOL PARENTAL/GUARDIAN APPROVAL FOR CYBERPATRIOT COACH ............III
SAFETY ..............................................................................................................................IV
COACH ALTERNATE REQUEST ...........................................................................................V
COMPETITOR CODE OF CONDUCT ....................................................................................VI
CENTER OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAM ..................................................................................VII
OPEN AND ALL SERVICE DIVISION ADVANCEMENT AND AWARDS EXAMPLE ..................VIII
APPEAL, BACKUP DATE REQUEST AND SCORE CORRECTION REQUEST FORMAT ............IX
SPONSORS AND SPONSORSHIP .........................................................................................X
CYBERPATRIOT MEDIA GUIDELINES ..................................................................................XI
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
FIGURES
1-1 Competition Divisions
1-2 CyberPatriot Team Members
2-1 CP-VII Registration Timeline
2-2 Coach (Team) Registration Process
2-3 Mentor and Team Assistant Registration Process
2-4 Competitor Registration Process
3-1 CP-VII Preparation Timeline
4-1 Detailed Competition Timeline
4-2 Sample Competition Email Schedule
4-3 Image Delivery
4-4 Open Division Regions
4-5 Open Division (Top) and All Service Division (Bottom) Competition Structures
4-6 Middle School Division Competition Structure
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
COMMISSIONER’S NOTE
CyberPatriot Program Office
Air Force Association
1501 Lee Highway
Arlington, Virginia 22209-1198
October 3, 2014
This document serves as the official source of rules and procedures governing The National
Youth Cyber Defense Competition of CyberPatriot. All registered CyberPatriot participants, to
include Coaches, Mentors, Team Assistants, and Competitors, are bound by the rules and
procedures published in this document.
A special thanks to the Coaches and Mentors of the CyberPatriot Rules Advisory Group who
contributed to the CyberPatriot Rules Book. Their team-level insights and recommendations
were fundamental to this document’s development. Their hours of review were critical to its
publication.
If the rules of the school or organization to which a team belongs are more restrictive than the
CyberPatriot rules, then the school’s or organization’s rules will take precedence.
Changes to this document will be posted on the CyberPatriot website and distributed via email
to CyberPatriot Coaches.
Submit recommendations for updates or changes to this document by email to the Director of
Competition Operations, CyberPatriot Program Office. Address the email to
[email protected] with the subject “Rules Book Recommendation.”
BERNARD K. SKOCH
National Commissioner
CyberPatriot
Air Force Association
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
INTRODUCTION
The mission of CyberPatriot is to inspire high school students toward careers in cybersecurity or
other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our
nation's future through three main programs: the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition,
AFA CyberCamps, and the Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative. This document covers
the rules and procedures that govern the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition only.
The competition can only operate if all Competitors, Coaches, Mentors, Team Assistants, and
Staff conduct themselves to the highest ethical standard. Since the competition is dispersed, all
are expected to behave according to these guiding principles in order to ensure its success:
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Integrity. The foundations of the competition are the honesty and ethics of all those
involved in the program, especially in the absence of supervision.
Service. The spirit of the competition is dependent on the ethos of “service before self.”
All adults must put the well-being and education of the Competitors ahead of our own
concerns in preparation for and during the CyberPatriot competition.
Excellence. The competition pushes Competitors to achieve their best, both during the
competition and beyond.
Towards these guiding principles, Competitors, Coaches, Mentors, Team Assistants, and Staff
should using the following operating principles during all aspects of the competition.
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Competitor Safety and Protection. Since most Competitors are minors, this MUST BE
THE TOP PRIORITY for all involved. It is the Coach’s responsibility to ensure the safety
and protection of his or her team while involved in all CyberPatriot activities. He or she
must create a safe environment that provides protection from unauthorized individuals,
ensures appropriate online activity, and involves suitable facility safety and security. In
the event that an incident occurs involving the protection or safety of a Competitor, the
Coach has an obligation to follow correct procedures of reporting the incident to local
authorities and stop or mitigate the incident immediately.
Fairness. No participant should attempt to gain or give an unfair competitive advantage
to any individual or team. Any questions or concerns regarding fairness should be
reported to the CyberPatriot Program Office immediately.
Adherence to the Rules. Everyone should obey the rules and regulations outlined in
this document. Coaches are charged with ensuring that teams do not behave otherwise.
Privacy. Participants’ personal information must be protected by those who have access
to the information. The CyberPatriot Program Office Staff may publish participant
names and photographs when appropriate permission is obtained.
Transparency. To ensure openness and honesty, Staff and Coaches shall engage in twoway communication on competition matters that do not infringe upon fairness.
Cyber Citizenship. The CyberPatriot competition teaches Internet ethics and safety and
defensive activity only. It is not a hacking competition nor does it teach or tolerate
hacking or any activity related to the unauthorized entry, use, or modification of a
computer, system, or network by a person, persons, or tools.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
CHAPTER 1: ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTICIPANTS
COMPETITION STAFF ................................................................................................................1001
1. CyberPatriot Program Office
2. CyberPatriot Operations Center (CPOC)
COMPETITION DIVISIONS..........................................................................................................1002
1. Open Division
2. All Service Division
3. Middle School Division
4. Other Organizations
TEAMS .......................................................................................................................................1003
1. Members of a CyberPatriot Team
2. Team Identification
3. Anonymity
COACH .......................................................................................................................................1004
1. Eligibility Requirements
2. Verification Officials
3. Additional Requirements
4. Responsibilities
5. No Compensation
6. Coach Alternate
COMPETITORS ...........................................................................................................................1005
1. Eligibility Requirements
2. Responsibilities
3. Team Captain
MENTORS ..................................................................................................................................1006
1. Eligibility
2. Responsibilities
3. Coaches as Mentors
4. No Compensation
TEAM ASSISTANTS.....................................................................................................................1007
1. Eligibility
2. Responsibilities
3. No Compensation
CYBERPATRIOT CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE ................................................................................1008
CYBERPATRIOT RULES ADVISORY GROUP (CRAG) ....................................................................1009
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
1001. COMPETITION STAFF. For the online rounds of competition, competition staff is defined
as the full-time staff of the CyberPatriot Program Office and the volunteers in the CyberPatriot
Operations Center (CPOC).
1. CyberPatriot Program Office. The CyberPatriot Program Office is the department within
the Air Force Association responsible for organizing and administering all aspects of the
CyberPatriot Program. It has five major components. The office can be reached by telephone
during normal East Coast business hours at 877-885-5716.
a. National Commissioner. The CyberPatriot National Commissioner is accountable to the
AFA President for the operation of the program and has final authority on all decisions
relating to the competition.
b. Director of Competition Operations. The Director of Competition Operations is
accountable to the National Commissioner for the planning and conduct of the National
Youth Cyber Defense Competition.
c. Competition Section. The Competition Section is responsible for the technical conduct
and oversight of the competition. It is also responsible for the setup, operation, and
coordination of all electronic systems that support the competition. Members of this
section provide Tier 2 and Tier 3 technical support on competition weekends. Technical
questions can be sent to [email protected].
d. Program Administration and Events. The Program Administration and Events Section
is responsible for participant registration and administration and logistics coordination for
The National Finals Competition and other events. Members of this section provide Tier 2
technical support on competition weekends. Registration and events questions can be
sent to [email protected].
e. Sponsorship and Outreach Section. The Sponsorship and Outreach Coordinator is
responsible for assisting the Commissioner with administration, sponsorship, and
outreach. Members of this section provide Tier 2 technical support during competition
weekends. Sponsorship and outreach questions can be sent to [email protected].
2. CyberPatriot Operations Center (CPOC). Co-located with the CyberPatriot Program Office,
the CPOC provides Tier 1 helpdesk support for CyberPatriot online competitions. The CPOC is
established within the CyberPatriot Program Office only during competition weekends and
may be reached at 877-885-5716 or by Tech Support Chat (see Appendix VII).
In addition to the CyberPatriot Program Office Staff, the CPOC is staffed by temporary staff
during the peak hours of competition activity.
1002. COMPETITION DIVISIONS. CyberPatriot teams are divided into three divisions during the
competition: Open, All Service, and Middle School. Each of these divisions is independent of the
others; teams in one division do not directly compete against teams in the other divisions.
Unless otherwise specified, rules and procedures apply equally to the teams in all divisions.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
1. Open Division. All high school and senior high-level students may compete on an Open
Division team, provided that team is fielded by one of the organizations below.
a. Organizations that Can Field Open Division Teams. There is no limit on the number of
Open Division teams that an organization can field. See Paragraph 1002.4 for other
organizations.
(1) Public School
(2) Private School
(3) Scouting Unit
(4) Parochial School
(5) Magnet School
(6) State-Chartered Virtual School
(7) Home School
(8) Charter School
(9) Boys and Girls Club
b. Regions. Open Division teams are placed into a CyberPatriot Region based on their
state or geographic location. Regions factor into some awards and advancement during
the Elimination Rounds. More information on Regions can be found in Paragraph 4006.
c. Composite Teams. The National Commissioner may consider the creation of a
composite Open Division team from more than one fielding organization if:
(a) The organizations’ sizes do not support a full CyberPatriot team.
(b) The organizations are not fielding other CyberPatriot teams.
(c) The Competitors belong to a common legally recognized entity, such as a school
district, non-profit organization, or municipality.
2. All Service Division. All high school and senior high-level students may compete on an All
Service Division team, provided that team is fielded by one of the organizations below, per
these organizations’ memoranda of agreement that govern their CyberPatriot participation.
a. Organizations that Can Field All Service Division Teams. There is no limit on the
number of All Service Division teams that an organization can field.
(1) Army JROTC
(2) Navy JROTC
(3) Marine Corps JROTC
(4) Air Force JROTC
(5) U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps
(6) Civil Air Patrol
b. Categories. All Service Division teams are placed into Categories based on their
affiliation with one of the organizations above. Categories factor into some awards and
advancement during the Elimination Rounds. See Paragraph 4007 for more on Categories.
c. Composite Teams. The National Commissioner may consider the creation of a
composite All Service Division team from more than one unit if all of the following
conditions are met:
(a) The units’ sizes do not support a full CyberPatriot team.
(b) The units are not fielding other CyberPatriot teams.
(c) The first common senior in the chain of command approves the composite team
(e.g., CAP Group Commander, USNSCC Regional Captain).
(d) The organization’s National Headquarters CyberPatriot Representative concurs with
the creation of the composite team (e.g., Service JROTC Headquarters, USNSCC
National Headquarters, and CAP National Headquarters.).
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
3. Middle School Division. All middle school and junior high-aged students may compete on a
Middle School Division team, provided the team is fielded by an approved Middle School
Division organizations listed below. See Paragraph 1002.4 for other organizations.
a. Organizations that Can Field Middle School Division Teams
(1) Public School
(2) Private School
(3) Home School
(4) Parochial School
(5) Charter School
(9) State-Chartered Virtual School
(6) Magnet School
(10) U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps
(7) Boys and Girls Club (11) Civil Air Patrol
(8) Scouting Unit
b. Composite Teams. The National Commissioner may consider the creation of a
composite Middle School Division team from more than one fielding organization if:
(a) The organizations’ sizes do not support a full CyberPatriot team.
(b) The organizations are not fielding other CyberPatriot teams.
(c) The Competitors belong to a common legally recognized entity, such as a school
district, non-profit organization, or municipality.
(d) U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps and Civil Air Patrol teams use the same procedures
as All Service Division teams to include concurrence from their organization’s
National Headquarters CyberPatriot Representative.
4. Other Organizations. At the discretion of the National Commissioner, other organizations
may field a team in one or more of the above Divisions. Requirements for participation are:
a. Charter and Youth Program. The organization shall have a charter that includes a youth
program for high school and/or middle school-level students.
b. Mission and Purpose. The organization’s mission and purpose shall be consistent with
the principles and values of the CyberPatriot Program and AFA.
c. Designated Official Leader. The organization shall have a leader who is accountable for
the organization and is authorized to designate adults to have unsupervised access to
minors in the organization.
d. Minor Protection Policy. The organization shall have an official policy for the
protection and safety of minors.
e. Minor Protection Training Requirement. Mandatory and formal training shall be
required for adults who have unsupervised access to minors.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
Figure 1-1. Competition Divisions
1003. TEAM. Teams are the basic groupings of CyberPatriot participants.
1. Members of a CyberPatriot Team. Figure 1-2 depicts a CyberPatriot team. There is no U.S.
citizenship requirement for any CyberPatriot competition participant. Team positions are
described in more detail in Paragraphs 1004 – 1007.
Figure 1-2. CyberPatriot Team Members
2. Team Identification. For official purposes, team identification is standardized to recognize
teams, assign scores, maintain anonymity, and avoid misunderstandings in communication.
Teams are identified as follows:
a. Team Numbers. Team numbers are assigned during registration and are the primary
means to identify a team for competition purposes, such as assigning scores.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
b. Unique Identifier (formerly the Team ID). Before each round, teams receive a ten-digit
alphanumeric code used for validation with the CyberPatriot scoring server.
c. Official Names. The official name of teams belonging to a school, including JROTC units,
is the school name. The official name of other teams, such as CAP and USNSCC units, is
the organization name. Official names may be appended or modified by the CyberPatriot
Program Office if they have similar names. Composite teams have an official name
assigned by the authority that approved their composition. See Chapter 2 for more
information on official team names for coaches with multiple teams.
d. Unofficial Names. Teams can create unofficial names to identify themselves at any
time. The names must be in good taste and are subject to veto by the CyberPatriot
Program Office. Team names are optional and will not be used to officially identify teams.
3. Anonymity. Except for the following exceptions in which information related to a team’s
performance (e.g., scores, rankings, advancement) is published, the team will remain
anonymous, except for its team number.
a. Exception 1: Online Rounds. Teams that win an award or certificate during the State
and Regional Rounds and/or advance to the Regional Rounds will have their official name
and Coach name published by the CyberPatriot Program Office. This information will not
be associated with the team’s scores.
b. Exception 2: The National Finals Competition. Teams that advance to The National
Finals Competition or International Exhibition have their official and unofficial names,
Coach name, and Competitors’ names published. This information will not be associated
with the team’s scores. This information may be published in the following places:
(1) The CyberSentinel, the official CyberPatriot newsletter
(2) The CyberPatriot website (www.uscyberpatriot.org) and social media
(3) The National Finals Competition program
(4) Media releases
(5) Communications to sponsors and government officials
Teams winning awards at National Finals will have their official names, Competitor names,
awards, and rankings published. Rankings for other National Finalists will not be published.
1004. COACH. CyberPatriot requires an adult to register as a team Coach before any students
are permitted to register or compete. Having one, and only one, adult Coach of record for each
team is a non-negotiable requirement. An adult may coach up to five teams and is responsible
for the proper supervision of all of their teams during all CyberPatriot-related activities. A Coach
may assist other teams, but only as a registered Mentor or Team Assistant. To be a Coach, an
individual must meet the following requirements:
1. Eligibility Requirements
a. Adult over 18 years of age on or before the Coach registration deadline.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
b. Not a Competitor or high school-level student.
c. Not a member of the CyberPatriot Program Office.
d. Vetted and approved to work with minors by a Verification Official (see below).
e. Registered as the Coach for five teams or fewer.
f. Agrees to abide by the CyberPatriot Coaches’ Agreement and Standards of Conduct.
(See Appendices I and II.)
2. Verification Officials. All Coaches are required to be vetted and approved to work with
minors by Verification Officials. Though not members of a team, Verification Officials are
usually school principals or individuals higher in a Coach’s chain of command who perform
the following critical functions:
a. Verify that a Coach is approved by the organization to work unsupervised with minors.
b. Immediately notify the CyberPatriot Program Office if facts or circumstances call into
question the fitness of a Coach to continue to supervise Competitors.
c. Validate a Coach’s status as a school employee, school district-approved volunteer, or
person with an approved relationship with a school or member of a fielding organization.
d. Other Organizations. Verify that Coaches of non-school or non-All Service Division
teams meet the following requirements.
(1) A member in good standing with the organization.
(2) Completed appropriate minor or youth protection training.
3. Additional Requirements. Adults must meet the following requirements in addition to
those mentioned above if they fall into any of the cases below.
a. Employees of Sponsors and Development Partner. An employee of a CyberPatriot
sponsor or development partner shall receive consent from their organization’s
designated CyberPatriot representative before becoming a Coach.
b. CAP or USNSCC members. CAP Coaches shall be verified by their CAP squadron
commander or an officer higher in their chain of command. USNSCC Coaches shall be
verified by their Regional National Headquarters Representative or an officer higher in
their chain of command. These Coaches also shall meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Senior Member in good standing with Civil Air Patrol or U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps.
(2) Completion of appropriate cadet protection program training (CPPT).
(3) Chain-of-command authorization of unsupervised access to cadets who are minors.
c. Home School Team Coaches. In areas where home schools are subject to local school
board or other governmental oversight, Coaches of home school teams shall be verified
by a school official or a home school teacher who can be verified by a legally recognized
agency that accredits or otherwise approves home school programs. Coaches of home
school teams must also meet the following requirements:
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
(1) Authorization by their regulating agency and the students’ parents to have
unsupervised access to team members who are minors.
(2) Procurement and retaining of written and signed parental consent forms for
Competitors for the entire season. (See Appendix III).
(3) Completion of a certified youth protection program such as the free Boy Scouts of
America’s Youth Protection Training at: www.myscouting.org.
4. Responsibilities
a. Competitor Protection. Coach responsibility includes controlling access to minors in a
way that protects them, respects parental prerogatives, and follows legal requirements
during all competition training, events, and rounds. Additionally, Coaches are:
(1) Accountable for Mentors and Team Assistant interactions with the Competitors.
(2) Responsible for Competitor safety and protection during all competition training,
events, and rounds (See Appendix IV).
b. Competition Integrity. Fairness and integrity are key components of a successful
CyberPatriot competition. Coaches are charged with upholding these principles at the
team level during competition by ensuring that their Competitors receive no outside
assistance in any form, including help from Mentors and Team Assistants (see Paragraph
5004). Coaches may continue to provide clarification of rules and permissible actions per
this document while their teams compete.
c. Official Point of Contact. Official competition-related CyberPatriot correspondence is
emailed only to Coaches, who may disseminate it to their teams. It is therefore essential
that Coaches monitor their email for up-to-date information and ensure they are capable
of receiving messages from the CyberPatriot Program Office ([email protected])
through their chosen email domains. The role of official point of contact may not be
delegated to a Mentor, unless the Mentor is appointed as a Coach Alternate (below).
5. No Compensation. Coaches participate on a volunteer basis and do not receive
compensation from AFA. AFA has no position with respect to gifts received by our volunteers.
6. Coach Alternate. If a Coach is not available to receive email and supervise during a round
of competition, then a Coach Alternate may be designated. Coach Alternates are subject to
CyberPatriot Program Office approval on a case-by-case basis. Coach Alternates should also
be vetted and approved by the original Coach’s Verification Official before CyberPatriot
Program Office approval. Coach Alternates may only act as Coach for the approved round of
competition and not substitute for the Coach during future rounds of competition without
going through the approval process again (see Appendix V).
1005. COMPETITORS. A CyberPatriot team consists of two to six competitors, up to five of
which may compete at a single time. Substitution of team members is at the Coach’s discretion
during the online rounds of competition. A Competitor shall compete on only one team during
a CyberPatriot season. To be a Competitor, students must meet the following requirements.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
1. Eligibility Requirements
a. Open Division
(1) Competitors shall be enrolled in a high school or senior high-level program (or
equivalent if home schooled or in an organization that does not make this distinction)
as defined by the state in which the students are located on the final day of team
(Coach) registration for the season in which they will compete.
(2) Competitors shall be on only one team, even if they are in another organization
fielding a team.
(3) JROTC, USNSCC, and CAP cadets may compete on an Open Division team if they are
not a member of an All Service Division team. They will not be identified as a member
of the JROTC, CAP, or USNSCC if they are on an Open Division team.
b. All Service Division
(1) Competitors shall be enrolled in a high school or senior high program (or equivalent if
home schooled/in a school that does not make this distinction) as defined by the state
in which the students are located on the final day of team (Coach) registration for the
season in which they will compete.
(2) Competitors shall be currently enrolled in the respective JROTC, USNSCC, or CAP
program before participating in any competition round.
(3) All Competitors shall be members of the same unit except in cases when the National
Commissioner approves the formation of a composite team.
(4) Competitors shall at all times during the season remain enrolled in their respective
JROTC, CAP, or USNSCC program.
c. Middle School and Junior High School
(1) Competitors shall be enrolled in a middle school or junior high school program, as
defined by the state or school district in which the students are located, throughout
the competition season to compete in the Middle School Division.
(2) Home schools organizations, USNSCC units, CAP squadrons, and other organizations
may field middle school teams if all team members are enrolled in the equivalent of
a middle school or junior high school program.
2. Responsibilities. It is the responsibility of Competitors to abide by the CyberPatriot
Competitor Code of Conduct (see Appendix VI). Competitors will also agree to act ethically
each time they log on to a competition image.
3. Team Captain. Each Coach may designate a Competitor as the Team Captain for the online
competition rounds. Since the Coach and Mentor(s) are not directly involved in competition
rounds, the Team Captain oversees and directs the team’s competition efforts.
1006. MENTOR. Mentors, also known as Technical Mentors, are optional (but recommended)
teams’ technical advisors. One or more registered Mentors may be chosen by a Coach to assist
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
with a CyberPatriot team. Teams are not required to have a Mentor, and Coaches may act in
the combined role of a Coach and Mentor. Coaches request Mentors to join their teams online.
1. Eligibility
a. Adult over 18 years of age on or before the Coach registration deadline.
b. Not a Competitor or high school-level student.
c. Must pass a CyberPatriot Program Office background investigation.
d. Agrees to abide by the CyberPatriot Standards of Conduct. (See Appendix II).
2. Responsibilities
a. Advising the team’s Coach on skills status.
b. Developing, with the Coach’s guidance, a plan to teach cyber defense skills and ethics.
c. Teaching and assisting Competitors with cyber skills and ethics.
d. Meeting with the team only with the Coach’s approval.
e. NOT teaching hacking skills or offensive cyber tactics to Competitors.
3. Coaches as Mentors. A Coach may be a Mentor for other teams only if he or she is also
registered as a Mentor. Coaches not registered as a Mentor are ineligible for Mentor awards.
4. No Compensation. Mentor positions are voluntary and do not receive compensation. AFA
has no position with respect to gifts received by our volunteers.
1007. TEAM ASSISTANTS. Team Assistants are adult team members who provide nontechnical support and encouragement to the team. Teams are not required to have Team
Assistants. Team Assistants must register on the CyberPatriot website and can be linked to
their teams by Coaches after meeting all their requirements.
1. Eligibility
a. Adult over 18 years of age on or before the Coach registration deadline.
b. Not a Competitor or high school-level student.
c. Must pass a CyberPatriot Program Office background investigation
d. Agrees to abide by the CyberPatriot Standards of Conduct. (See Appendix II.)
2. Responsibilities. Team Assistant responsibilities vary by team, but sample responsibilities
include helping with competition setup, snacks, and transportation.
3. No Compensation. Team Assistant positions are voluntary and do not receive
compensation. AFA has no position with respect to gifts received by our volunteers.
1008. CYBERPATRIOT CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE. CyberPatriot Centers of Excellence (COEs) are
recognized as leading institutions and organizations in promoting STEM and cyber education.
For more information, see Appendix VII.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
1009. CYBERPATRIOT RULES ADVISORY GROUP (CRAG). The CRAG advises the National
Commissioner on competition rules and procedures. Coaches and Mentors of all experience
levels may join the group. The Director of Competition Operations chairs the CRAG.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
CHAPTER 2: REGISTRATION
GENERAL ...................................................................................................................................2001
COACH REGISTRATION ..............................................................................................................2002
1. Creating Teams
2. Pre-Registration
3. Coaches of Multiple Teams
MENTOR AND TEAM ASSISTANT REGISTRATION .....................................................................2003
1. Background Check
2. Linking with Teams
COMPETITOR REGISTRATION....................................................................................................2004
1. Competitor Email
TEAM REGISTRATION FEE .........................................................................................................2005
1. Fee Exemptions
Figure 2-1. CP-VII Registration Timeline
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
2001. GENERAL. Registration begins April 1, 2014 and ends October 10, 2014. Coaches,
Mentors, and Team Assistants register online at www.uscyberpatriot.org. Competitors are then
registered by their Coaches through the website. After creating Volunteer accounts for the
CyberPatriot website, Coaches, Mentors, and Team Assistants complete their respective
registration processes by logging into CyberPatriot Volunteer Central.
2002. COACH REGISTRATION. Coach registration begins the team registration process. Only
Coaches may register teams.
1. Creating Teams. After creating a CyberPatriot Volunteer account, prospective Coaches can
register up to five teams each by logging into the CyberPatriot website and clicking the
“Create Team” button on their Dashboard. Coaches may register Competitors only after their
team application is validated by their Verification Official and approved by the CyberPatriot
Program Office.
2. Pre-Registration. Teams may pre-register for the next CyberPatriot competition season in
January. Pre-Registration allows teams to gain benefits, such as the Exhibition Rounds and
other special events, without having to register after the present season has ended.
3. Coaches of Multiple Teams. An adult may register as a Coach for up to five teams from the
same or different schools, organizations, or divisions under the following conditions:
a. Verification. Verification Officials shall separately verify a Coach for each registered
team. This will require response for up to five separate verification emails per Coach.
b. Organization Name. On each team application form, Coaches shall enter a dash
followed by a unique identifier at the end of the official team name. If one team has been
registered without an identifier at the end of its name, then identifiers shall be added to
all names of subsequent registered teams. Examples of unique names are:
- E. C. Walczak High School - 1
- E. C. Walczak High School - 2
- Smithville Cadet Squadron – Alpha Flight - Smithville Cadet Squadron – Bravo Flight
- B. Dalton High School - Cyber Kidz
- B. Dalton High School - Trons
Additional team registration instructions are available on the CyberPatriot registration page.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
Figure 2-2. Coach (Team) Registration Process
2003. MENTOR AND TEAM ASSISTANT REGISTRATION. Mentors and Team Assistants follow
the same registration process. They first register individually without a team assignment by
logging into their Volunteer account on the CyberPatriot website and clicking the “Mentor
Application” button on their Dashboard. Mentors and Team Assistants may register on the site
with or without contacting a CyberPatriot team beforehand and may work with teams in their
physical location or virtually. There is no deadline for Mentor or Team Assistant registration.
1. Background Check. All Mentors and Team Assistants are required to complete a
background check conducted by the CyberPatriot Program Office. Background checks
completed for other organizations are not sufficient for this requirement. If a Mentor or Team
Assistant completed a CyberPatriot background check within the past twelve months at the
time of registration, this requirement is waived.
2. Linking with Teams. Once a Mentor or Team Assistant is approved by the CyberPatriot
Program Office, Coaches may contact or link them to their teams using a list of available
Mentors and Team Assistants. Mentors and Team Assistants can remove themselves from this
list by logging into their Volunteer account and changing their availability status using the
“Edit Profile” button. Mentors and Team Assistants can also contact teams looking for
assistance using the “Find Team” button on their Volunteer Dashboard. Mentors and Team
Assistants are paired with Coaches only with mutual consent.
Additional instructions for registering as a Mentor or Team Assistant are available here.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
Figure 2-3. Mentor and Team Assistant Registration Process
2004. COMPETITOR REGISTRATION. After their team application has been verified and
approved, Coaches must add their Competitors to their online rosters no later than November
5, 2014. To do so, a Coach logs into their account, clicks the “Options” button to the right of
their team, and selects “Register Competitors". The Coach then fills out a form that asks for the
Competitor’s name, email address, and t-shirt size. Coaches must also check a box indicating
they have received parental consent from the Competitor’s parents or guardians.
1. Competitor Email. After a Competitor is added to a roster, he or she is automatically
emailed a link to a short questionnaire. After that questionnaire has been submitted by the
student, he or she is fully registered and eligible to compete in CyberPatriot.
Figure 2-4. Competitor Registration Process
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
2005. TEAM REGISTRATION FEES. A team is completely registered when its applicable fee has
been paid or waived by the National Commissioner. The Open Division registration fee is $395,
the Middle School Division fee is $195, and there is no fee in the All Service Division. All fees
must be paid by November 5, 2014.
1. Fee Exemptions. Fees may be waived in the following circumstances. Teams may take
advantage of paragraphs 2005.2.a and c at the same time.
a. For every fee-paying Open Division team an organization registers, it may register a
second Open Division team at the same school at no cost.
b. For every JROTC team a school fields, it may register one Open Division team at no cost.
c. For every fee-paying high school Open Division team a school district registers, the
district may register one Middle School Division team at no cost.
d. Title I schools and schools with inadequate funding may request fee waivers.
e. Teams composed entirely of female competitors do not pay a fee.
2. Additional Information. In addition to the fee waiver process, other exemptions and fee
waivers are outlined in the CyberPatriot VII Registration Fee Structure.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
CHAPTER 3: PREPARATION
GENERAL ...................................................................................................................................3001
RECRUITING ..............................................................................................................................3002
1. Material Order Form
2. Exhibition Rounds
COMPETITION TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS .............................................................................3003
1. Hardware
2. Operating System
3. Software
4. Network
TRAINING ..................................................................................................................................3004
1. Online Meetings
2. CyberPatriot VII Training Materials
3. Archived Training Materials
4. Microsoft DreamSpark/Development Network (MSDN)
5. Practice Scoring Engine
6. Cisco Networking Academy
7. Introductory Images
8. Practice Round
9. The National Finals Competition
Figure 3-1. CP-VII Preparation Timeline
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
3001. GENERAL. Because CyberPatriot is a nationwide competition, team preparation is
conducted locally. Preparing for competition means recruiting students, ensuring that basic
technical materials are in place, and training students on cybersecurity concepts.
3002. RECRUITING. Many organizations use CyberPatriot as part of cybersecurity classes or
existing computer-related after school clubs. Others use it as an entirely separate activity. Some
teams form because students have heard about the program on their own. Organizations
desiring to recruit more members for their teams may find the following materials helpful.
1. Material Order Form. Individuals interested in the program may request videos, fact
sheets, and promotional items from this page of the CyberPatriot website.
2. Exhibition Rounds. Exhibition Rounds are held once a month over the summer to orient
new and potential CyberPatriot participants. The images include the CyberPatriot
Competition System (CCS) scoring client and have basic vulnerabilities. Scores from these
rounds do not count toward ranking or awards. A list of the CP-VII Exhibition Rounds can be
found on the Competition Timeline.
3003. COMPETITION TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS. Teams must meet the following basic
requirements to participate in CyberPatriot. These requirements are kept to a minimum so that
as many teams as possible may compete.
1. Hardware. Teams need only one computer to compete. However, because there are up to
three virtual machine images in a round (see Chapter 4), it is recommended that teams have
at least three computers with the following minimum specifications.
a. 1 GHz Intel x86-compatible processor (2+ GHz dual-core or better with virtualization
extensions recommended)
b. 4GB RAM (2GB RAM may work but VMware Player is likely to run very slowly)
c. 20 GB of free disk space
d. 1024 x 768 or higher display
Some host systems may meet the above requirements, but are unable to run the latest
VMware products. If you are unsure whether your system can run this software, please
refer to the VMware Player Documentation.
2. Operating System. Team computers must have operating systems that can play the latest
version of VMware Player or Fusion. The following operating systems have this capability.
a. Windows 2000 or later
b. OS X 10.4.11 or later
c. Linux 2.4.10/2.6.4 or later
It is highly recommended that teams participate using Windows systems because unlike OS X,
all software required for the competition is free if using Windows. Additionally, because only
a limited number of teams use Mac or Linux systems during the competition, the CyberPatriot
Program Office is only able to provide extremely limited support for non-Windows systems.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
Teams that only have access to Macs should use this guide to learn about using Boot Camp to
install Windows on their system and examine their other options.
3. Software. The following free software must be installed on all competition computers
before a team participates in a round of competition. All of these products except VMware
Fusion, which is only required for teams using Mac computers, are free. The CyberPatriot
Program Office can only provide limited support for other software that may be used
a. WinMD5: Verifies that virtual machine images are fully downloaded (Install guide).
b. 7-Zip: Extracts images after they have been downloaded (Install guide).
c. VMware Player 6.0 (Windows and Linux) or VMware Fusion (OS X). (User’s Guide)
(1) While teams are not prohibited from using other virtualization products (e.g.
VMware Workstation, VMware ESX/ESXi, etc.), the CyberPatriot Program Office
cannot provide technical support at the hypervisor level for other products.
(2) Issues stemming from the use of products other than VMWare Player or VMWare
Fusion are not grounds for an appeal.
(3) Some virtualization software, such as VMware Workstation, offers functionality that
is unavailable in VMware Player (e.g. snapshots). Teams are prohibited from using
any functionality that is unavailable in VMware Player 6.0. For information on
differences in various VMware products, go refer to www.vmware.com/support
4. Network. It is teams’ responsibility to provide an Internet connection during the
competition. The most common difficulty encountered by teams during competition is a
school proxy server or firewall blocking their web traffic. All teams will need unrestricted
access to HTTP (TCP/IP port 80) to compete and may find HTTPS (TCP/IP port 443) to be
helpful when preparing for competition.
a. Minimum Network Specifications.
(1) DSL or faster network connection.
(2) Unrestricted access on port 80 for the competition scoring client.
(3) Port 443 access for logging into CPOC Tech Chat, www.uscyberpatriot.org and MSDN
(4) Recommended: A backup plan in case of internet failure
b. Network Troubleshooting. If network issues do arise, teams should first contact the IT
administrator for their network. The CyberPatriot Program Office can then work with
these individuals to determine other methods of allowing teams to access the scoring
server from their location. The following tools may be useful in avoiding network issues.
b. CCS Connection Test Image and Manual. This software tests a network’s ability to
connect to the scoring server.
c. AT&T Air Cards. Available in limited amounts, these devices may be provided to
teams that have limited Internet access for the competition. Air cards may only be
requested by Coaches through this link up until the Coach registration deadline on
October 10 and are distributed based on need and availability prior to Round 1. Air
card failure is not grounds for an appeal.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
c. Websites. The below websites are required for different aspects of the competition.
(1) Competition website and emails: www.uscyberpatriot.org
(2) Competition email: www.constantcontact.com
(3) Tech support: http://afa.adobeconnect.com/cpoc
(4) Scoring Engine: IP address varies round to round
(5) Cisco Networking Academy and Challenges: cisco.netacad.com
(6) Image Distribution: *.cloudfront.net, varies round to round
(7) Updates, Patches and tools: www.microsoft.com
(8) MSDN: www.onthehub.com
(9) Scoring Client connectivity check: www.google.com
(10) Online Meetings fedgov.webex.com
3004. TRAINING. The CyberPatriot Program Office has a number of resources available for
Coaches and Mentors that may help them teach their students basic cybersecurity principles.
These materials are not an exhaustive list of recommended training and may be insufficient for
the more challenging rounds of competition. After reviewing these materials, teams should
delve deeper into each of the presented topics and look to their Coaches and Mentors for
further training. The knowledge of adult volunteers is integral for teams to achieve very high
scores.
1. Online Meetings. Online Meetings, conducted on WebEx provided courtesy of Cisco
Systems, focus on program and competition updates and are a platform for the CyberPatriot
Program Office to provide more preparation tips. Meetings are held monthly, and login
information is emailed to registered Coaches, Mentors, and Team Assistants about a week in
advance. Slides from previous meetings are on the Online Meeting page of the website.
2. CyberPatriot VII Training Modules. New training modules have been created for the
CyberPatriot VII competition. These are available for registered Coaches, Mentors, and Team
Assistants on their Dashboard when they sign into www.uscyberpatriot.org. These materials
contain basic information on cyber safety, ethics, and Windows and Ubuntu security.
3. Archived Training Modules. Training materials created for previous seasons are available
on the public side of the CyberPatriot website at this Training Materials page.
4. Microsoft DreamSpark/Development Network (MSDN). Microsoft, a Cyber Gold sponsor,
provides licenses to the DreamSpark website to all registered CyberPatriot participants.
Coaches, Competitors, and Mentors can download Windows operating systems and other
software using this site. Access instructions are emailed to registered participants near the
beginning of the season. An MSDN guide is available on the program website.
a. No Software Transfer. MSDN software shall not be transferred or caused to be
transferred to persons outside of CyberPatriot. Software transferred to other persons
violates the End User License Agreement and may constitute copyright infringement.
b. Benefits. MSDN licenses and downloaded software allow teams to:
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
(1) Gain hands-on exercises with training modules and Coach and Mentor instruction
(2) Create practice images with or without a scoring engine (see Paragraph 3004.5)
(3) Expand their skills on a variety of Windows software
5. Practice Scoring Engine. Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi has generously provided
CyberPatriot teams with access to a local scoring client that can be used with Windows 7
(Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate) and Windows Server 2008 images that can be
downloaded using MSDN licenses. The client is available on this Practice Images web page,
along with Ubuntu training images that have an answer key in lieu of a scoring client.
6. Cisco Networking Academy. Cisco, a Cyber Diamond sponsor, has generously donated
access to its online Network Academy platform. Teams have access to written materials,
videos, and WebEx sessions that will help teams expand their networking knowledge. Access
instructions are sent to Coaches and Mentors at the beginning of the season.
7. Introductory Images. Windows 7 and Ubuntu Introductory Images, which include the
CyberPatriot scoring engine and answer keys are available to all CyberPatriot VII teams during
the month of September. Answers will not be released for images in other rounds. These
images will be available for the full month of September and do not have a six-hour time limit.
There is no password to unzip these images.
8. Practice Rounds
a. Practice Round 1. An online Practice Round takes place October 8-22, 2014, which does
not impact team rankings. Participation in the Practice Round is encouraged, but not
required. Images and challenges in this round will give teams some training on basic
vulnerabilities before the first scored competition round.
b. Practice Round 2. Only Middle School Division teams may participate in a second
practice round during the weekend of October 24-28, 2014.
9. The National Finals Competition. Training materials for challenges not conducted during
the online rounds may be provided to teams advancing to The National Finals Competition
before that event.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
CHAPTER 4: ONLINE COMPETITION ROUND PROCEDURES
GENERAL ...................................................................................................................................4001
COMPETITION WINDOWS.........................................................................................................4002
COMPETITION COMMUNICATION ............................................................................................4003
1. Competition Email
2. Information and Notifications
COMPETITION EVENTS ..............................................................................................................4004
1. Network Security Challenge
2. Cisco Networking Challenge
3. Other Competition Events
TECHNICAL SUPPORT ................................................................................................................4005
REGIONS ....................................................................................................................................4006
CATEGORIES ..............................................................................................................................4007
SCORING....................................................................................................................................4008
1. Network Security Challenge
2. Cisco Networking Challenge
3. Other Factors
4. Weighting
5. Administrative Penalties
6. Tiebreakers
OPEN AND ALL SERVICE DIVISION COMPETITION STRUCTURE AND ADVANCEMENT .............4009
1. Qualification Rounds
2. Advancement to the State Rounds
3. Qualification Round Tiebreakers
4. Tiers
5. State Rounds
6. State Round Tiebreakers
7. Advancement to the Regional/Category Rounds
8. Regional and Category Rounds
9. Regional and Category Round Tiebreakers
10. Advancement to The National Finals Competition
MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION COMPETITION STRUCTURE AND ADVANCEMENT ........................4010
1. Qualification Rounds
2. Advancement to the Semifinals
3. Qualification Round Tiebreakers
4. Semifinals
5. Semifinals Tiebreakers
6. Advancement to the National Finals Competition
ALTERNATE COMPETITION TIMES ............................................................................................4011
RESULTS PUBLICATION .............................................................................................................4012
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
4001. GENERAL. Each team competes in a series of online competition rounds (phases of the
overall competition) by fixing vulnerabilities, hardening systems, and performing other tasks. All
divisions compete on the same weekends, but the high school and middle school competitions
have different structures. Below is an overview of the competition schedule. Teams may
compete in any six consecutive-hour period within the specified Competition Windows (see
Paragraph 4002) listed for the rounds.
Figure 4-1. Detailed Competition Timeline
4002. COMPETITION WINDOWS. Teams may compete for a six consecutive-hour period within
one of three given competition windows on the Friday-Sunday dates designated for each online
round (see Timeline above) This six consecutive-hour period begins when the team’s first image
is opened in a VMware product. The CyberPatriot Program Office is available for technical
support at all times during the competition windows (see Paragraph 4005). Teams should not
compete outside of these competition windows, as the scoring server is unavailable to receive
team scores. The following are the competition windows for each competition round:
1. Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 a.m. Saturday
2. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 11:59 p.m.
3. Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
4003. COMPETITION COMMUNICATION. Email from [email protected] and
[email protected] are the official and primary means of competition communication.
Official competition information will be posted in the CPOC tech support chat, at
www.uscyberpatriot.org, and Facebook if there are technical issues with official email.
1. Competition Email. Teams will receive three competition emails before each online
competition round and one email after. Coaches are the only individuals who receive these
emails and it is their responsibility to ensure that each of the emails listed below are received.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
Coaches should contact the CyberPatriot Program Office if emails are not received in the time
frames listed below. Failure to receive emails is not grounds for an appeal.
a. Competition Preparation Email. An email with important round information (operating
system(s), rule changes, etc.) is sent 10-14 days before a round.
b. Download and Instructions Email. On or before the first day of the workweek prior to
competition round, Coaches will receive an email with image download information in
addition to the following information:
(1) How to decrypt/decompress images.
(2) Image-specific information.
(3) Unique Identifiers (formerly Team IDs)
(4) Technical information.
c. Competition Start (StartEx) Email. Just prior to 9:00 a.m. Eastern on the Friday of the
round, an email will be sent to all Coaches with the following information:
(1) Image decryption passwords
(3) Unique Identifiers (formerly Team IDs)
(2) Changes to instructions since the Download and Instructions Email.
d. Competition Round Results Email. Release of this email is contingent on a variety of
factors including inquiries and appeals. The goal for release of the email is five working
days after the completion of the competition round. The Competition Round Results Email
will contain the following information:
(1) The scores from the just-completed competition round.
(2) A general list of vulnerabilities categories in the images. Specific vulnerabilities will
not be published. The general list of vulnerabilities categories may include:
- Access control and settings
- Antivirus
- File sharing and permissions
- Firewall
- Forensics questions
- Insecure services
- Logon policy
- Malware
- Miscellaneous
- Password policy
24
- Policy violations: files
- Policy violations: services
- Updates: Operating System
- Updates: Other
- User Policy
CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
Figure 4-2. Sample Competition Email Schedule
2. Information and Notifications. In addition to email, information may be posted in some or
all of the following areas during competition rounds.
a. CyberPatriot Website: www.uscyberpatriot.org
b. CPOC Tech Support Chat: afa.adobeconnect.com/CPOC
c. Facebook: www.facebook.com/CyberPatriot
d. Twitter: www.twitter.com/CyberPatriot
e. Public Scoreboard (only available during competition): http://54.204.38.205
4004. COMPETITION EVENTS. The CyberPatriot online competition rounds contain one or
more of the following scored events.
1. Network Security Challenge. The Network Security Challenge is the main event during the
online rounds. It is a cyber defense event based on finding and fixing security vulnerabilities in
operating systems. Additionally, teams may be asked questions about actions they took
during the event. The CyberPatriot Competition System (CCS) is used to score this challenge.
a. Virtual Machine Image (Image). CCS scores teams on their discovery and remediation
of vulnerabilities in a virtual machine image. Images may contain competition software
on the operating system image. A CyberPatriot image is an operating system played on
virtual machine player. Specific operating system image types will be released prior to all
competition rounds.
(1) Host Machine or System. The computer playing the image is known as a host
machine or host system. It is different than the virtual machine image. The image can be
modified without affecting the host machine’s operating system or software.
(2) Image Delivery. As noted in Paragraph 4002, images are delivered by email. See the
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
diagram below and the instructions released before each round for more information.
Figure 4-3. Image Delivery
(3) Coach Image Responsibilities. Coaches shall ensure that passwords, competition
round images, and competition software are strictly controlled. When the round is
complete, Coaches will delete the competition images according to the guidance in
competition emails. Coaches should maintain the team’s saved scoring data until the
result of an appeal or inquiry is published and then delete the data.
b. Accurate Host Computer Time. Host machine clocks must be set to the correct local
time zone, time, and date and be within 10 MINUTES of the correct time. Teams should
check these factors before competing and NOT change the host computer time or date
once a round has begun. Teams can use http://www.time.gov to check their local clock.
c. CyberPatriot Competition System (CCS). CCS is an Internet-dependent competition
system used for the online competition Rounds. CCS uses a client-based scoring system.
Scores in CCS are based on scored security vulnerabilities that are fixed, remediated, or
identified in an image. It is possible to reduce a score if a fix to one vulnerability undoes a
previous fix, or if a team is assessed a penalty for an action that is not allowed in or
conflicts with the scenario for that Round. Points lost to penalties can be recovered by
way of corrective action. Not all vulnerabilities in an image are scored.
2. Cisco Networking Challenge. The Cisco Networking Challenge is a timed event
administered by Cisco Systems in which teams answer questions regarding networking and
complete virtual networking challenges with the Cisco Packet Tracer software.
a. Networking Academy Site. All Coaches and Mentors are able to gain access to this site
at the beginning of the competition season. All networking challenges during the online
rounds take place on this site. Coaches MUST register with the site upon receiving their
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
welcome email in order for their team to compete in the networking challenges.
b. Scoring. The networking quizzes and virtual networking Packet Tracer challenges are
automatically scored by the Networking Academy website. They are then weighed
appropriately with the Network Security Challenge according to the given rounds in which
the challenges occur.
3. Other Competition Events. Other competition events may be added to the online
competition rounds. Training materials for new events would be provided well in advance of
the round in which they are conducted.
4005. TECHNICAL SUPPORT. Technical support for online competition rounds is provided by
the CyberPatriot Program Office and temporary CPOC staff during every competition window
(see Paragraph 4002) on every competition weekend (all times Eastern). For reference,
competition windows are listed again below.
1. Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 a.m. Saturday
2. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 11:59 p.m.
3. Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (CPOC Tech Chat only. No telephone support.)
The primary means of technical support are:
1. CPOC Tech Support Chat Session: http://afa.adobeconnect.com/CPOC
2. Telephone: 1-877-885-5716
3. Email ([email protected]) is used by the CPOC for broadcasting critical competition
information and is not a means of submitting technical support requests during a round.
4006. REGIONS. Only Open Division teams are placed into a region based on their geographic
location. These Regions may factor into some advancement and awards. A map denoting which
states and areas belong to each region is below. Each region has eight states or areas except for
the Midwest, which has nine. All Service Division teams have Categories (see Paragraph 4007)
instead of Regions. There are no Middle School Regions.
- Northeast – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Rhode Island, Vermont
- Mid-Atlantic – Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington,
D.C., West Virginia
- Southeast – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Tennessee
- Midwest – Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South
Dakota, Wisconsin
- Southwest – Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
- West – California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
- At-Large – Alaska, Europe (AE), Pacific (AP), American Samoa, Guam, Canada, Hawaii, Puerto
Rico, Virgin Islands, Virtual Teams*
*If areas that are not listed field a team, they will be placed in the At-Large region.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
Figure 4-4. Open Division Regions
4007. ALL SERVICE DIVISION CATEGORIES. All Service Division teams are placed into a category
based on the organization fielding the team. These Categories may factor into some awards and
advancement. All Service teams do not have regions. Open Division teams have Regions (see
Paragraph 4005) instead of Categories. There are no Middle School Division Categories.
Categories are listed below.
(1) Army JROTC
(2) Navy JROTC
(3) Marine Corps JROTC
(4) Air Force JROTC
(5) U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps
(6) Civil Air Patrol
4008. SCORING. The following rules govern scoring for all online rounds of competition at all
tier levels and in all Divisions.
1. Network Security Challenge. Network Security Challenge scores are based on the number
of security vulnerabilities fixed or remediated and questions about actions taken on images. It
is possible to reduce a score if an action undoes the protection of a previous fix.
2. Cisco Networking Challenge. Cisco Networking Challenge scores are based on team
performance in quizzes and/or virtual networking activities.
3. Other Factors. Percentages, difficulty, number of vulnerabilities fixed, or other weighting
factors will NOT be used to calculate scores in the Qualification Rounds and will not be
considered in the advancement of teams to any competition round.
4. Weighting. The Network Security Challenge will be the most heavily weighted event even
in rounds that include a Cisco Networking Challenge.
5. Administrative Penalties. Penalties may be applied to teams’ scores for conduct violations
during the qualification rounds (see Chapter 5).
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
6. Tiebreakers. The tiebreaker system is different for different rounds of competition (see
Paragraphs 4009 and 4010).
4009. OPEN AND ALL SERVICE DIVISION COMPETITION STRUCTURE AND ADVANCEMENT. The
following is the structure and advancement for the high school divisions. However, the Open
and All Service Divisions have small differences in their competition structures and these
differences will be noted in the rules where applicable. While different challenges may be given
to teams in different tiers (more below), different challenges are not given to teams based on
their Open or All Service Division affiliation.
Figure 4-5. Open Division (Top) and All Service Division (Bottom) Competition Structures
1. Qualification Rounds. (October 24-26, 2014 and November 14-16, 2014) All Open and All
Service Division teams can participate in these rounds. A team’s performance in Round 1
does not affect its ability to compete in Round 2. Teams missing Round 1 can participate in
Round 2. Round 1 one will only contain the Network Security Challenge while Round 2 will
contain both the Network Security Challenge and the Cisco Networking Challenge.
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2. Advancement to the State Rounds. Advancement to the State Rounds is different for Open
and All Service Division teams.
a. Open Division Advancement to State Rounds. Team scores from Rounds 1 and 2 are
added together to determine placement in one of the three tiers. Teams in the top 30% of
combined Round 1 and Round 2 scores advance to the Platinum Tier, teams in the middle
40% of combined scores advance to the Gold Tier, and the remaining 30% advance to the
Silver Tier.
b. All Service Division Advancement to State Rounds. Team scores from Rounds 1 and 2
are added together to determine placement in one of the three tiers. Teams in the top
30% of combined Round 1 and Round 2 scores in each category advance to the Platinum
Tier, teams in the middle 40% of combined scores in each category advance to the Gold
Tier, and the remaining 30% in each category advance to the Silver Tier.
3. Qualification Round Tiebreakers. If teams have a tie score that affects advancement to a
specific tier level, all tied teams will be placed in the higher of the two tiers in question.
4. Tiers. The CyberPatriot VII competition has three tiers for teams following the Qualification
Rounds. Each of these tiers (Platinum, Gold, and Silver) has a State and Regional Round. The
Platinum Tier is more challenging than the Gold Tier, which is more challenging than the Silver
Tier. The Platinum Tier leads to the National Finals Competition. Tier placement is permanent.
Teams may not be promoted or demoted and may not self-select tiers. For awards purposes,
Platinum Tier teams are always higher than Gold Tier teams, which are always higher than
Silver Tier teams.
5. State Rounds. (December 5-7, 2014) All teams in the Open and All Service Divisions may
participate in a State Round corresponding to their tier placement. The purposes of the State
Rounds are to determine advancement to Regional and Category Rounds and award State
Awards. State Rounds will have different difficulty levels in each tier. Teams missing Rounds 1
and/or 2 may participate in the Silver Tier State Round. State Rounds at all tier levels in both
Divisions will have a Network Security Master Challenge. Some tiers may have Cisco
Networking Challenges, and more information will be released in advance of the rounds.
6. State Round Tiebreakers. If teams have a tie score that affects their advancement to the
Regional Rounds, all tied teams will advance. If teams have a tie score that affects the
outcome of a State Award (see Chapter 7), the following tie-breakers will be used to resolve
the tie.
a. The team with the highest score in the Network Security Challenge will be placed ahead
of the other tied team.
b. If the teams had a tied score in the Network Security Challenge, then the team with the
highest total score in the Qualification Rounds will be placed ahead of other tied teams.
c. If the teams had a tied highest total score in the Qualification Rounds, then the team
with the highest total score in Round 2 will be placed ahead of the other tied teams.
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d. If the teams had a tied score in Round 2, then the team that reached their highest
scores first in the Network Security Challenge, during the State Round will be placed
ahead of the other tied team. CCS scoring server time is the official time.
7. Advancement to the Regional/Category Rounds. Advancement to the fourth round of
competition is different for Open and All Service Division teams.
a. Open Division Advancement to Regional Rounds. Advancement has two stages.
(1) The top three teams in each state at each tier level are advanced to the Regional
Round corresponding to their tier level.
(2) Teams with the top 12 highest scores in each State Round that are not within the top
three for their state at their tier level advance as Wild Cards to the Regional Round
corresponding to their tier level.
b. All Service Division Advancement to Category Rounds. Advancement has two stages.
(1) The top six teams in each Category in each tier advance to the Category Round
corresponding to their tier level.
(2) Teams with the top six highest scores in each State Round, regardless of Category,
among the remaining teams advance as Wild Cards to the Category Round
corresponding to their tier level.
c. For an example of Open and All Service Division Advancement and Awards, see
Appendix VIII.
d. Advancement on Appeal. Teams advanced to the Regional or Category Round on an
approved appeal will compete as Wild Card teams and will not displace teams that
previously qualified for these Rounds.
8. Regional and Category Rounds. (January 16-18, 2015) The purposes of the Regional and
Category Rounds are to determine advancement to The National Finals Competition and
award Regional and Category Awards. Only Open and All Service Division teams that qualify
for the Regional and Category Rounds may participate in those that correspond to their tier
placement. Regional and Category Rounds will have different difficulty levels in each tier.
Regional and Category Rounds at all tier levels in both Divisions will have a Network Security
Master Challenge and a Cisco Networking Challenge.
9. Regional and Category Round Tiebreakers. There is no difference in tiebreakers between
the Regional and Category Rounds. If teams have a tie score that affects their advancement to
The National Finals Competition (Platinum Tier-level Regional and Category Rounds only) or
the outcome of a Regional or Category Award (see Chapter 7), the following tiebreakers will
be used to resolve the tie.
a. The team with the highest score in the Network Security Challenge will be placed ahead
of the other tied team.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
b. If the teams had a tied score in the Network Security Challenge, then the team with the
highest total score in the State Rounds will be placed ahead of the other tied team.
c. If the teams had a tied score in the State Rounds, then the team with the highest total
score in the Qualification Rounds will be placed ahead of the other tied team.
d. If the teams had a tied highest total score in the Qualification Rounds, then the team
with the highest total score in Round 2 will be placed ahead of the other tied teams.
e. If the teams had a tied score in Round 2, then the team that reached their highest
scores first in the Network Security Challenge during the Regional Round will be placed
ahead of the other tied team. CCS scoring server time is the official time. Official time will
be that on the CCS scoring server.
10. Advancement to the National Finals Competition. Advancement to The National Finals
Competition is different for the Open and All Service Divisions.
a. Open Division. A total of 12 Open Division teams from the Platinum Tier Regional
Round will advance to The National Finals Competition based on their Semifinals scores.
Regions are not a factor in National Finals advancement
b. All Service Division. A total of 13 All Service Division teams will advance to The
National Finals Competition: two teams from each Category and one Wild Card team.
4010. MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION COMPETITION STRUCTURE AND ADVANCEMENT. The
following is the structure and advancement for the Middle School Division. Middle School
Division rounds may have different challenges than those for the Open and All Service Divisions.
Figure 4-6. Middle School Division Competition Structure
1. Qualification Rounds. (November 14-16, 2014 and December 5-7, 2014) All Middle School
Division teams can participate in these rounds. A team’s performance in Round 1 does not
affect its ability to compete in Round 2. Teams missing Round 1 may participate in Round 2.
Round 1 one will only contain the Network Security Challenge while Round 2 will contain both
the Network Security Challenge and the Cisco Networking Challenge.
2. Advancement to the Semifinals. Team scores from Rounds 1 and 2 are added together to
determine placement in the Semifinals. Teams in the top 50 percent of combined Round 1
and Round 2 scores are placed in the Semifinals.
3. Qualification Round Tiebreakers. If teams have a tie score that affects teams’
advancement to the Semifinals, all tied teams will advance.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
4. Semifinals. (January 16-18, 2015) Only Middle School Division teams that qualify for the
Semifinals may participate in it. The purposes of the Semifinals are to determine
advancement to The National Finals Competition for the Platinum tier and award State
Awards for all tiers.
5. Semifinals Tiebreakers. If teams have a tie score that affects their advancement to The
National Finals Competition or the outcome of a State Award, the following tiebreakers will
be used to resolve the tie.
a. The team with the highest score in the Network Security Challenge will be placed ahead
of the other tied team.
b. If the teams had a tied score in the Semifinals, then the team with the highest total
score in the Qualification Rounds will be placed ahead of the other tied team.
c. If the teams had a tied highest total score in the Qualification Rounds, then the team
with the highest total score in Round 2 will be placed ahead of the other tied teams.
d. If the teams had a tied score in Round 2, then the team that reached their highest score
first in the Network Security Challenge during the Semifinals will be placed ahead of the
other tied teams.
6. Advancement to the National Finals Competition. The three Middle School Division teams
with the highest scores in the Semifinals advance to The National Finals Competition.
4011. ALTERNATE COMPETITION TIMES
1. Competition Backup Dates. If the National Commissioner postpones a competition round
due to a weather emergency, other act of God, or any other reason, the competition will take
place on the round’s scheduled back-up date.
2. Alternate Team Competition Periods. Through the appeals process (see Paragraph 5019),
the National Commissioner may grant approval for a team to compete on the scheduled backup date due to a documented local weather emergency, other act of God, or other reasons.
Teams with schedule conflicts will not receive favorable consideration.
4012. RESULTS PUBLICATION. The results or links to the results of competition rounds will be
published in the following media. The goal is to publish the results within five working days
after the end of a competition round.
1. The CyberPatriot website: www.uscyberpatriot.org
2. Competition Round Results Email
3. CyberPatriot Facebook page
4. The CyberSentinel
Coaches will normally receive the courtesy copy of the Results Email within an hour before
the results are published on the CyberPatriot website. To allow Coaches the opportunity to
notify their teams of the round’s results, the CyberPatriot Program Office requests that
participants do not post the results on social media sites before they are posted on the
CyberPatriot website.
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CHAPTER 5: ONLINE COMPETITION ROUND RULES
GENERAL ...................................................................................................................................5001
TIME RESTRICTIONS ..................................................................................................................5002
1. Competition Window
2. Competition Period
REGISTERED COMPETITORS ......................................................................................................5003
1. Registered Competitors
2. Teams with an Outstanding Invoice
NO OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE .........................................................................................................5004
SHARING OF COMPETITION IMAGES, SOFTWARE, AND INFORMATION .................................5005
ONE INSTANCE PER COMPETITION IMAGE AND SOFTWARE ...................................................5006
1. Instances of Different Images
2. Shadowing
3. Additional Compress (NOT UNZIPPED) Image Downloads.
4. Re-Opening Images
5. Image Snapshots Prohibited
INTERNET CONNECTIVITY REQUIRED .......................................................................................5007
1. Unique Identifier (formerly Team ID) Required
2. Air Card
3. Backup Plan
OFFENSIVE ACTIVITY AND TAMPERING PROHIBITED ...............................................................5008
RESOURCES ...............................................................................................................................5009
1. Internet Resources
2. Printed Material
3. Electronic media and Communication Devices
4. Software Tools
OVERSIGHT ................................................................................................................................5010
INQUIRIES ..................................................................................................................................5011
PENALTIES .................................................................................................................................5012
1. Minor Penalties
2. Disqualification
3. Excessive Time
4. Other Penalties
5. Replacement Teams
APPEALS, BACKUP DATE REQUESTS, AND SCORE CORRECTION REQUESTS.............................5013
1. Deadlines
2. Originator
3. Notification of Results
4. Format
5. Decision Authority
6. Appeals and Backup Date Requests
7. Score Correction Requests
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5001. GENERAL. CyberPatriot operates under the premise that all Coaches, Mentors, Team
Assistants, and Competitors conduct themselves with the highest ethical standard. To prevent
the perception of misconduct that would jeopardize the integrity of the competition and ensure
a fair and equitable competition between all teams, rules have been established to govern
participant action during the online rounds. Coaches are encouraged to work with the
CyberPatriot Program Office to resolve questions regarding these rules before competition. The
following rules apply throughout the CyberPatriot competition season. Violation of any of the
rules in Paragraphs 5002-5009 may lead to penalties (see Paragraph 5012).
5002. TIME RESTRICTIONS
1. Competition Window. Teams shall not compete outside of the specified competition
windows on the Friday—Sunday designated for each competition round (see paragraph
4002).
2. Competition Period. The competition period begins when a team successfully opens their
first image within a round’s competition window and lasts for six consecutive hours,
regardless of the image or team running time indicated on the image Scoring Report page.
The following rules govern the competition period.
a. A team shall have only one competition period to complete ALL tasks for an online
competition round.
b. The six consecutive-hour period begins when a team’s first image is opened in a
VMware product. It does not begin when the Unique Identifier is entered.
c. Teams are not allowed to open an image for any reason before they are ready to
compete. No “sneak peeks” or tests of the software are allowed outside of downloading
images and verifying their checksums and using the provided connection test software.
d. The times on the Scoring Report page are for reference purposes only. It is the
responsibility of the team to ensure that ALL work is completed at the end of the six
consecutive-hour period that begins when the FIRST image is opened.
e. Technical issues affecting a team’s performance will not result in extra time unless the
issue is competition-wide.
f. Teams advancing to The National Finals Competition will have all of their competition
period times reviewed by the CyberPatriot Program Office.
5003. REGISTERED COMPETITORS. Only the Competitors REGISTERED with a team shall
compete with that team.
1. Teams with an Outstanding Invoice. If a team has an outstanding invoice for the
registration fee on the first day of competition, that team will be ineligible to compete and
will not receive competition emails. Coaches should contact the CyberPatriot Program Office
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
if they have an administrative issue with the invoice well before the first round of
competition.
2. No less than two and no more than five Competitors may compete for a team in an online
competition round.
3. During online rounds, a team’s other registered Competitors may be substituted for any of
the two to five competing Competitors at the Coach’s discretion. Once a substitution is made,
the Competitor that has been removed from the competition may not return.
4. Teams that do not have all of their Competitors registered by November 5, 2014 will not
receive competition-related emails for subsequent competition rounds.
5004. NO OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE. Competitors are responsible for their team’s performance
during the competition and may not receive or request assistance outside of their team’s
competitors. Once a competition period begins, Coaches, Mentors, Team Assistants, and other
non-team members shall not coach, assist, collaborate, or advise Competitors until the
completion of the competition period. Outside assistance includes direct and indirect advice,
suggestions, hands-on assistance, and electronic communication such as email, blogs, forums,
Yahoo Answers, and other social media. That is, questions may not be posted to any website.
However, pre-existing answers to questions may be queried to address issues encountered
during the competition. Coaches, Mentors, and Team Assistants may only assist teams with:
1. Administrative issues before the image is opened.
2. Entering the Unique Identifier (formerly the Team ID)
3. Timekeeping.
4. Local area network outages and other connectivity issues that occur outside the
competition image.
5. Issues with the host system unrelated to the competition image itself.
6. Dangerous or threatening situations that require adult intervention.
7. Maintain team’s saved scoring data at the end of the competition period.
5005. SHARING OF COMPETITION IMAGES, SOFTWARE, AND INFORMATION. Coaches are
entrusted with competition round images and software and should treat them as examination
material. Competitors shall share images and other information only within their team space to
avoid giving a competitive advantage to other teams. Furthermore, participants shall:
1. Structure a competition space or procedures so that other teams’ Competitors may not
gain useful information or a competitive advantage. In competition areas where competition
spaces are in separate rooms, a team’s Competitors may not enter another team’s rooms,
except for in extremis circumstances.
2. Strictly limit distribution of CyberPatriot competition and practice images and software to
their teams. Coaches shall ensure that the images are deleted after each round per the
competition email. All images distributed by the CyberPatriot Program Office are the property
of the Air Force Association, not CyberPatriot participants.
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3. Not share information concerning the competition images with anyone outside of their
team.
4. Not transfer or cause to be transferred copies of images to persons who are not currently
registered CyberPatriot participants. Transfer of the images to non-CyberPatriot participants
is a violation of the End User License Agreement.
5. Coaches shall ensure that images and passwords are not transferred outside of their team.
6. Examples. Examples of image or information sharing violations are:
a. Giving information to a team that has not yet competed in a given round.
b. Posting specific information on images, competition software, or answers on a social
networking site, blog, or other website or through text or email even after a round of
competition.
c. Using an image or software from any prior competition round for training.
d. Requesting answers, solutions, or other competition assistance on a blog or social
media.
7. Control of the Competition Area. The competition area is where one or more than one
team may compete (e.g., school multipurpose room, computer lab). During their competition
periods, team members of different teams competing in the same competition area shall not
communicate with members of the other teams.
a. In cases where a Competition Area contains more than one team, Coaches and Mentors
shall take appropriate action to ensure that no purposeful or inadvertent communication
or collaboration occurs between teams. Examples of appropriate action include keeping
teams as far away from each other as possible, keeping the volume of discussions to a
minimum, ensuring that any written notes are only visible to individual teams and
independent observers monitoring the competition.
b. Other Spaces. If possible, Coaches should arrange a spectator area or other spaces for
visitors to watch the competition without interrupting the Competitors. Coaches shall
ensure that spectators do not interact with Competitors in any way that threatens their
safety or the integrity of the competition.
5006. ONE INSTANCE PER COMPETITION IMAGE AND SOFTWARE. A team may open only one
instance of each image or competition software at a time during a competition round. An
instance is defined as each time a competition image or competition software is opened in a
virtual machine player, Internet browser, or other software program.
1. Instances of Different Images. If a competition round involves more than one image or
other competition software, then only one instance of each distinct image or software may be
opened at a time. Teams may have one instance of every distinct image open simultaneously.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
a. Example. If a round has a Windows 7 and a Windows Server 2008 image, one instance
of both the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 image may be open at the same time.
The team may not have more than one instance of either image up at the same time.
2. Shadowing. Shadowing, following, parallel operations, training, or any other use of a
second or more instance of an image or scoring client, online or offline, is NOT permitted.
3. Additional Compressed (NOT UNZIPPED) Image Downloads. Teams may place an
additional ZIPPED download of each image in a given round of competition on other host
computers. If the host computer fails or the original download is corrupted or deleted, the
team may use this compressed image. Coaches shall ensure that the zipped images are
deleted after the round of competition.
4. Re-Opening Images. A second instance of an image may be opened only if the original
image is corrupted or malfunctions. In this case, the original instance must be closed and
deleted before the team opens another instance. If the original instance is not closed, the
scoring engine will show multiple concurrent instances of the image, which is grounds for an
inquiry and a penalty. The competition period time will continue regardless of time required
for opening a new image.
5. Image Snapshots Prohibited. Using image snapshots or similar capabilities is strictly
prohibited. Snapshots include the use of host system file copy mechanisms to create a backup
copy of an image. Snapshots or backups cannot be used to roll back to a previously known
good state. If the competition image becomes corrupted or unusable, the team must start
from the beginning with a clean image extraction from the zipped file.
5007. INTERNET CONNECTIVITY REQUIRED. Teams are responsible for their own Internet
connectivity for the entire time in which they compete. An image or competition software
worked offline or without a validated Unique Identifier (formerly the Team ID) will have a score
without a matching scoring report history, which is possible grounds for disqualification.
1. Unique Identifier Required. Entering a Unique Identifier in the Set Unique Identifier utility
shall be the team’s first action when opening an image or competition software. The Unique
Identifier must be the one provided to a team prior to competition and shall be validated with
the scoring server. The Unique Identifier is a ten-digit alphanumeric hash and is not the Team
Number (i.e. not 07-XXXX).
2. Air Cards. Internet connectivity is the sole responsibility of the team even if using a
provided AT&T air card.
3. Backup Plan. Teams should have a backup plan so that they can still compete in the event
of a network failure. Backup plan examples include the pre-arranged use of a library or a
private residence with sufficient adult supervision and deemed safe by the Coach.
5008. OFFENSIVE ACTIVITY AND TAMPERING PROHIBITED. Participants shall not conduct
offensive activity or tampering against other teams, Competitors, the competition system, or
non-participants to gain a competitive advantage. Offensive activity includes:
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
1. Hacking.
2. Interference with another team’s ability to compete.
3. Social engineering or posting of false information to platforms including the CyberPatriot
Facebook page, Twitter, text, chat, email, etc.
4. Tampering with, copying, or modifying components of competition images, the
competition scoring system, or other competition software or hardware. Copying an image
in its entirety to be used as a backup is not permitted.
5. Changing or tampering with system, client, or host timekeeping devices.
6. Tampering with or modifying documents belonging to other participants or the
CyberPatriot Program Office.
7. Any other activity aimed at manipulating or deceiving other Competitors or the
CyberPatriot Program Office, or competition staff.
Warning: Unauthorized copying of competition system scoring software
components from the virtual machine may damage the systems to which they are
copied.
5009. RESOURCES
1. Internet Resources. During Competition Rounds, Internet resources such as FAQs, how-to
guides, existing forums, and company websites are valid for competition use under the
following conditions.
a. The resource is free and access has not been granted based on a previous fee,
membership, employment, purchase, credit card, or other monetary instrument.
b. No token, smart card, common access card, etc., is required to access it.
c. The resource is publicly and reasonably available to all teams.
2. Printed Material. Printed or handwritten reference materials (books, magazines, checklists,
etc.) are permitted in competition spaces. Competitors shall choose and collect their team’s
printed material for the competition round WITHOUT the assistance of Coaches, Mentors,
other teams’ Competitors, or non-Competitors. Competitors are not required to reprint
existing material.
3. Electronic Media and Communication Devices. Coaches shall ensure that their teams
compete without outside assistance through electronic media or communication devices.
The following stipulations apply to this rule.
a. Electronic Media. Because inconsistent Internet connections among teams may cause a
competitive disadvantage, electronic media as defined below may be used in the online
competition rounds under the following conditions.
(1) Permitted electronic media is defined as: memory sticks, flash drives, removable
drives, CD-ROMs, or other similar storage devices.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
(2) Media must be prepared by a team’s competitors. Coaches, Mentors, other teams,
and non-Competitors shall not prepare a team’s electronic media.
(3) Authorized Documents and Data. Patches, updates, and other Internet resources
and software tools authorized in the “Software Tools” paragraph in this document are
permitted on electronic media.
(4) Scripts. Only scripts created by the team’s COMPETITORS shall be stored on
electronic media for the online competition rounds. Scripts created by anyone other
than the Competitors shall NOT be stored on electronic media used during online
competition rounds or used by Competitors during the rounds.
b. Communication Devices. Cell phones, smartphones, and other wireless devices are
allowed in the competition space, but shall NOT be used to communicate in the
competition space. Answering and making calls, texting, etc., shall be done outside of the
competition space.
c. Staging Resources. Teams shall not stage or access unauthorized resources on the
Internet, networks, systems, servers, storage devices, communications devices, etc.
Emailing or otherwise transferring unauthorized tools, scripts, and data to the image host
computer via another computer or device is also prohibited. Secure FTP sites may not be
used.
4. Software Tools. Competitors shall set up and use software tools without outside
assistance. Internet resource conditions also apply to software tools
a. The tool must be searchable on the public Internet with Google and Yahoo search
engines. ALL Internet users have access to the tool(s).
b. Competitors have access and are authorized to use MSDN.
c. Software listed in the Team Competition Software paragraph in Chapter 3 is authorized
for use in the online rounds of competition.
5010. OVERSIGHT
1. Oversight Visits to Competition Spaces. Coaches shall allow the CyberPatriot competition
staff and AFA officials to visit their competition spaces so that they may observe the conduct
of the competition and fulfill their oversight role. An oversight visit does not relieve the Coach
of their authority and responsibilities for the team.
2. Entry into a Competition System. During competition, CyberPatriot staff may request to
view teams’ systems for oversight, competition administration, and troubleshooting
purposes. CyberPatriot staff will not change teams’ systems. Teams shall allow the
competition staff immediate access to their system(s) when requested.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
5011. INQUIRIES. In cases of apparent violations of the rules in Paragraphs 5002-5008 or
scoring irregularities, the National Commissioner may appoint a CyberPatriot staff member to
conduct an inquiry. The following items may be part of an inquiry.
1. Competition Images. Images that involve rule violations or scoring irregularities require
special handling of competition images by Coaches.
a. Security. The Coach of a team that is the subject of an inquiry or who has team
members that are subjects of an inquiry shall secure and take measures to prevent access
to the competition images. Images shall not be opened, modified, or otherwise tampered
with unless requested by the investigator. Forensic analysis of images may be done during
the inquiry.
b. Transfer or Upload. When required, the Coach shall cause the transfer or upload of the
competition images to a designated location.
2. Interviews. Interviews conducted in the course of the inquiry may be held in-person, by
telephone, or by other means.
3. Questionnaires. The investigator may request that participants involved in an inquiry
respond to a questionnaire concerning the inquiry.
5012. PENALTIES. A team or participant that does not cooperate in an inquiry may incur a
penalty to include the disqualification, suspension, or ban of an individual or team as
determined by the National Commissioner. Any and all of the penalties below may be applied
for any violations of the rules in this document.
1. Minor Penalties. In the event of a minor rules violation, the National Commissioner may
impose competition penalties on a team including:
a. Score reduction.
b. Time disadvantage in future competition rounds.
c. Invalidation of a team’s competition round score.
2. Disqualification. If the National Commissioner rules that a participant or team committed
a major rules violation, they may be disqualified. Disqualified participants and teams are
ineligible for awards and recognition to include sponsor scholarships and internships and are
subject to:
a. Suspension. The terms and time limit of a participant or team suspension from the
competition are at the discretion of the National Commissioner.
b. Termination. A participant or team is immediately terminated from the CyberPatriot
Program for the entire season.
c. Ban. A ban is the permanent disqualification of a participant or team from the
CyberPatriot Program. It is the most severe administrative penalty that can be imposed.
Reinstatement is at the sole discretion of the National Commissioner.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
3. Excessive Time. In addition to inquiries, a special review process governs competition times
in some circumstances. Teams with qualifying scores for advancement to the Regional and
Category Rounds and the Semifinals will have their competition period times reviewed for
irregularities at the end of all previous rounds.
a. A team found to have exceeded the six consecutive-hour competition period for ANY of
the Online Rounds other than the Regional and Category Rounds and the Semifinals,
according to the scoring engine, will be penalized. For example, if a team is found to have
taken excessive time in Round 1, the team’s score for Round 1 may be less than originally
published at the end of Round 1.
b. Teams exceeding the six consecutive-hour competition period will not have a final score
greater than their score at the six-hour mark with an applied penalty.
4. Other Penalties. Other penalties invoked by the National Commissioner may affect a
team’s final score or advancement.
5. Replacement Teams. If a team advanced to the Semifinals, Regional Round, Category
Rounds, or The National Finals Competition is suspended, unable to compete, or banned, a
replacement team may be chosen at the option of the National Commissioner. In the event
the National Commissioner decides to designate a replacement team, the following criteria
will be considered:
a. Open and Middle School Divisions. Team with the next highest qualifying score from
the preceding round that was not advanced.
b. All Service Division
(1) Team in the same category with the next highest qualifying score from the preceding
round that was not advanced. If a Wild Card team has the next highest qualifying score
in the category, then the wild card team will replace the team removed in the category.
(2) If a wild card team is to be replaced, then the team in the All Service Division with
the next highest qualifying score from the preceding round that was not advanced will
become a Wild Card. This rule includes Wild Card vacancies left by teams that were
moved from a wild card to compete in their category.
c. Teams that did not compete in the Semifinals or Platinum Tier Regional or Category
Round for their respective category shall not be considered for The National Finals
Competition.
d. If a designated replacement team does not respond with information required for
competition or logistics when requested, the National Commissioner may revoke the
designation of the replacement team.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
5013. APPEALS, BACKUP DATE REQUESTS, AND SCORE CORRECTION REQUESTS. Appeals and
backup date requests ensure competition fairness by considering unforeseen conditions that
impact a team’s ability to compete. They are NOT a vehicle for a team to pursue advancement
in the competition by other means. Score correction requests allow Coaches to contact the
CyberPatriot Program Office if he or she believes their team’s online round score is incorrect.
The following rules apply to appeals, backup date requests, and score correction requests
1. Deadlines. Unless otherwise published by CyberPatriot, the following are the deadlines for
all appeals and requests to be emailed to [email protected].
a. Qualification Rounds. The deadline is 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the second workday
after the competition round scores are published.
b. Non-Qualification Online Rounds. Appeals from these rounds require two steps, as
outlined below, or else the appeal will not be considered.
(1) Before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the last day of the round in question. The Coach
shall notify the CyberPatriot Program Office that they intend to file an appeal or request
via email to [email protected].
(2) A full appeal must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the first working day
after the completion of the round via email to [email protected].
2. Originator. Only the team’s Coach may originate a team’s appeal or request.
3. Notification of Results. The CyberPatriot Program Office will email the Coach of the results
of their appeals and requests.
4. Format. The format for appeals and requests can be found in Appendix IX.
5. Decision Authority. The National Commissioner is the final decision authority on appeals
and requests.
6. Appeals and Backup Date Requests. The following rules apply to appeals.
a. Grounds Not Considered for Appeals or Backup Date Requests
(1) Loss of Internet Connection. Loss of an Internet connection is only a cause for an
appeal or backup date request if it was caused by a documented weather or man-made
emergency that directly affected a team’s ability to compete.
(2) Failure to Receive Competition Email. Coaches are required to contact the
CyberPatriot Program Office if a competition email is not received in a timely manner
(see Chapter 4).
b. State Rounds (Open and All Service Divisions) and Round 2 (Middle School Division)
Appeals. Appeals concerning these rounds will not be considered if a team would not
qualify for the Regional or Category Rounds or the Semifinals if the appeal was granted.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
c. One Appeal per Round. Teams may only submit one appeal per round.
d. Proper Documentation. All appeals and backup date requests must come with
appropriate documentation. Examples of appropriate documentation include letters from
school principals and news reports outlining school or organization closures.
7. Score Correction Requests. Unless a Coach can properly document a scoring error, the
request will not be considered and the official server score will stand.
a. One Scoring Request per Image per Round. Teams may only submit one scoring
request per image per round.
b. Proper Documentation. The following are examples of proper documentation. A
strong score correction request will involve more than one document.
(1) Scoring Files. Scoring data stored on the image (C:\CyberPatriot\ScoringData folder)
is the best documentation to prove a scoring error. The data may be copied from the
image and emailed to the CyberPatriot Program Office. To ensure that an image is not
damaged, Coaches should copy the data and not remove or alter it.
(2) Full Screen Capture of the Scoring Page. If the screen capture of the scoring page is
cut off or modified, it will not be considered in the appeal. The screen capture must be
easily readable and include:
- CyberPatriot Logo
- Known Issues Fixed
- Copyright Information
- Report Generated Time
- Penalties Assessed
- Connection Status
- Current Unique Identifier
- Score
(3) Competition Scoreboard Screenshot. Complete screenshots are required.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
CHAPTER 6: THE NATIONAL FINALS COMPETITION
GENERAL ...................................................................................................................................6001
GROUPS .....................................................................................................................................6002
1. Competition Staff
2. Blue (Competitor Teams)
3. Team Coach and Chaperone
COMPETITION EVENTS ..............................................................................................................6003
1. Network Security Master Challenge
2. Digital Forensics Challenge
3. Cisco Networking Challenge
4. Other Events
INTERNATIONAL TEAMS ...........................................................................................................6004
1. In the Open Division
2. International Exhibition
MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION TEAMS ...........................................................................................6005
NO ELECTRONIC MEDIA ............................................................................................................6006
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6001. GENERAL. The National Finals Competition is an in-person competition round held in the
Washington, D.C. area. A separate document will be published after the Regional and Category
Rounds and Semifinals that will cover rules specific to The National Finals Competition. Until
this season’s document is released, teams should assume that all rules governing behavior in
the online rounds hold unless they conflict with rules in this chapter. Until this season’s
document is released, all rules in this chapter take precedence if there is a rules conflict.
6002. GROUPS. The following groups will participate in The National Finals Competition.
1. Competition Staff. (See Chapter 1 for details.) Competition staff includes the CyberPatriot
Program Office and Competition Administration Teams that act as referees, system
administrators, and professional red teams.
2. Blue (Competitor) Teams. A Blue Team is a team of Competitors competing in the
competition. Blue Teams and Competitor teams are synonymous. Blue teams do not include
the Coach, Mentor, or chaperone.
a. Primary and Alternate Competitors. Only Competitors registered to a National Finalist
team may compete on that team. Combining of teams to make one National Finalist team
is prohibited. For National Finalist teams, Coaches shall designate no less than two and no
more than five primary Competitors and no more than one alternate Competitor from the
registered team members.
(1) Primary Competitors. Primary Competitors participate during The National Finals
Competition. When a team is advanced to The National Finals Competition, the team’s
Coach shall designate up to five primary Competitors from the team’s registered roster.
(2) Alternate Competitors. Alternate Competitors are those who are not Primary
Competitors. Only one alternate Competitor may officially attend The National Finals
Competition. Unless the alternate Competitor permanently replaces a primary
Competitor during the in-person competition, he or she shall not compete.
(3) Final Designation. Once the deadline has passed for The National Finals Competition
team roster submission, the primary Competitors may not be changed without the
expressed approval of the National Commissioner.
(4) Coach’s Decision. The designation of primary and alternate Competitors is the
Coach’s decision. The Coach may change which Competitors are primary and which is
the alternate until the names are required for The National Finals Competition.
b. Team Captain. Coaches shall designate only ONE Team Captain per team for The
National Finals Competition. Co-Captains are not recognized at the competition.
3. Team Coach and Chaperone. The team Coach and one chaperone must attend The
National Finals Competition as a member of the team. In the event that a Coach has two or
more teams advance to The National Finals Competition, he or she shall act as a supervising
adult capacity for only one team. The Coach’s Verification Official shall appoint a supervising
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chaperone for the other team(s) that qualifies for the National Finals Competition. Other
attendees wishing to attend The National Finals Competition may do so at their own expense,
but must coordinate with the CyberPatriot Program Office. Family members and other
attendees may not share rooms with the CyberPatriot Competitors.
6003. COMPETITION EVENTS. The Nationals Finals Competition will consist of the following
events, which will have their scores weighted.
1. Network Security Master Challenge. At the National Finals Competition, the Network
Security Master Challenge is composed of finding and fixing vulnerabilities, maintaining
services, fending off red team attacks, and solving business injects, including a mobile device
security challenge.
2. Digital Forensics Challenge. The Digital Forensics Challenge is conducted with the
Network Security Master Challenge during the National Finals Competition.
3. Cisco Networking Challenge. The Networking Challenge is a timed event administered by
Cisco Systems, in which teams install a network and operate basic network devices. Teams
will be scored on their conduct of basic networking security tasks.
4. Other Events. Other National Finals Competition events will be selected by the National
Commissioner and will be announced when the National Finalist teams are published.
6004. INTERNATIONAL TEAMS. International teams may compete per a Memorandum of
Agreement in one of two ways.
1. In the Open Division. If an International Team has a qualifying Platinum Tier Regional
Round score for The National Finals Competition, it will compete in the Open Division at The
National Finals Competition.
2. International Exhibition. If an International Team does not have a qualifying Semifinals
score for The National Finals Competition, it will compete in the same competition events in a
separate International Exhibition.
6005. MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION. National Finalist Middle School Division teams shall
participate in the Network Security Challenge, other challenges to be announced later, and all
non-competition activities. They may observe events in which they do not participate.
6006. NO ELECTRONIC MEDIA. During The National Finals Competition, NO electronic media or
communication devices are permitted in the competition spaces.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
CHAPTER 7: AWARDS
GENERAL ...................................................................................................................................7001
AWARD AUTHORITIES ...............................................................................................................7002
AFA STATE AWARDS..................................................................................................................7003
1. Open Division
2. All Service Division
3. Middle School Division
REGIONAL AWARDS ..................................................................................................................7004
CATEGORY AWARDS .................................................................................................................7005
SEMIFINALS RECOGNITION .......................................................................................................7006
TIER CERTIFICATES ....................................................................................................................7007
1. State Round Tier Certificates
2. Regional Round Tier Certificates
3. Category Round Tier Certificates
THE NATIONAL FINALS COMPETITION AWARDS ......................................................................7008
1. Overall Awards
2. National Finalist Award
3. Cisco Networking Challenge Award
4. Other Awards
5. International Exhibition
CYBERPATRIOT COACHES AND MENTORS OF THE YEAR ..........................................................7009
REGION, STATE, AND LOCAL AWARDS PRESENTATIONS ..........................................................7010
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
7001. GENERAL. The Air Force Association (AFA) recognizes excellence in competition and
dedication and support of CyberPatriot with awards and honors. CyberPatriot sponsors may also
elect to recognize teams throughout the competition.
7002. AWARD AUTHORITIES. Only the National Commissioner shall approve other awards to
be presented at The National Finals Competition. The Air Force Association Awards Committee
shall vet non-competition awards such as Coaches and Mentors of the Year.
7003. AFA STATE AWARDS. State Awards are determined in slightly different manners for
teams in the different divisions. Each award applies to a specific state/area and will be denoted
as such (e.g. Minnesota First Place, Puerto Rico Third Place, etc.). See Appendix VIII for an
example of State Awards.
1. Open Division. The top three teams overall in each state will be given AFA State Awards
based on their State Round score. A team must participate in a State Round to receive an AFA
State Award. Because the level of difficulty is different for each tier and scores are not
adjusted for difficulty, Platinum Tier teams are always ranked higher than Gold Tier teams,
which are always ranked higher than Silver Tier teams. That is, a Gold team will not outrank a
Platinum team, even if it has a higher State Round score. Similarly, a Silver team will not
outrank a Gold or Platinum team, even if it has a higher State Round score.
2. All Service Division. The top three teams overall in each state, regardless of category, will
be given AFA State Awards based on their State Round score. A team must participate in a
State Round to receive an AFA State Award. Because the level of difficulty is different for each
tier and scores are not adjusted for difficulty, Platinum Tier teams are always ranked higher
than Gold Tier teams, which are always ranked higher than Silver Tier teams. That is, a
Gold team will not outrank a Platinum team, even if it has a higher State Round score.
Similarly, a Silver team will not outrank a Gold or Platinum team, even if it has a higher State
Round score.
3. Middle School Division. The top three teams overall in each state will be awarded AFA
State Awards based on their Semifinals scores. A team must participate in the Semifinals to
receive an AFA State Award.
7004. REGIONAL AWARDS. Regional awards are only awarded to the top three Open Division
teams in each region. Each award applies to a specific region and will be denoted as such (e.g.
West Region First Place, Midwest Region Third Place, etc.) State Round performance and
awards are not factors. Because the level of difficulty is different for each tier and scores are
not adjusted for difficulty, Platinum Tier teams are always ranked higher than Gold Tier teams,
which are always ranked higher than Silver Tier teams. That is, a Gold team will not outrank a
Platinum team, even if it has a higher Regional Round score. Similarly, a Silver team will not
outrank a Gold or Platinum team, even if it has a higher Category Round score. See Appendix
VIII for an example of Regional Awards.
7005. CATEGORY AWARDS. Category awards are only awarded to the top three All Service
Division teams in each category. Each award applies to a specific Category and will be denoted
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
as such (e.g. AFJROTC First Place, CAP Third Place, etc.). State Round performance and awards
are not factors. Because the level of difficulty is different for each tier and scores are not
adjusted for difficulty, Platinum Tier teams are always ranked higher than Gold Tier teams,
which are always ranked higher than Silver Tier teams. That is, a Gold team will not outrank a
Platinum team, even if it has a higher Category Round score. Similarly, a Silver team will not
outrank a Gold or Platinum team, even if it has a higher Category Round score. See Appendix VII
for an example of Category Awards.
7006. SEMIFINALS RECOGNITION. Middle School teams that participated in the Semifinals, but
did not advance to The National Finals Competition will receive recognition.
7007. TIER CERTIFICATES. There are three types of tier certificates.
1. State Round Tier Certificates. These are given to all Open and All Service Division teams
that advance out of the State Rounds regardless of tier.
2. Regional Round Tier Certificates. The top three teams in each Region within each tier will
receive Tier Certificates based on their Regional Round scores.
3. Category Round Tier Certificates. The top three teams in each category within each tier will
receive Tier Certificates. There are no Regions in the All Service Division.
7008. THE NATIONAL FINALS COMPETITION AWARDS
1. Overall Awards. The top three teams in the Open, All Service, and Middle School Division
will receive recognition for their achievements. They will be crowned the National Champion,
National Runner-Up, and National Third Place teams respectively within their divisions.
2. National Finalist Award. This award is given to all teams that participated in The National
Finals Competition.
3. Cisco Networking Challenge Award. The Cisco Networking Award is presented by Cisco
Systems to the National Finals Competition Team that scores the highest final score in the
Cisco Networking Challenge in the Open and All Service Divisions.
4. Other Awards. Sponsors of other National Finals Competition challenges may present
awards to the teams with the highest final scores in their events.
5. International Exhibition. If there is an International Exhibition, each International
Exhibition team receives this award.
7009. CYBERPATRIOT COACH AND MENTOR OF THE YEAR. Coach and Mentor of the Year are
nominated and selected by a process that will be published before the CyberPatriot VIII season.
7010. REGION, STATE, AND LOCAL AWARDS PRESENTATIONS. Awards may be presented to
teams by Region or State AFA representatives, local AFA chapters, or other interested parties or
organizations, depending on a team’s overall performance, including performance in the State
Rounds.
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APPENDIX I: COACH AGREEMENT
Volunteer Coaches are vital to the success of CyberPatriot. Without Coaches’ voluntary
partnership, CyberPatriot will never be able to expand to the tens of thousands of schools and
students who are eager to participate – and our nation needs. The CyberPatriot Coach serves in
two roles. The Coach (with additional assistance at her/his sole discretion) guides the team
through preparation for the competition. As importantly, the Coach is a critical member of the
CyberPatriot management team who ensures:
1. Access to minor Competitors in a way that protects them and respects parental
prerogatives; and
2. The integrity of the competition during online and in-person competition.
As a CyberPatriot Coach, I agree to uphold the highest standards of integrity, sportsmanship,
honesty, and good citizenship. I will encourage my team to compete fairly, honestly, and with a
constructive attitude that celebrates our successes as well as those of other teams.
ACCESS TO COMPETITORS
1. Coordinate parental notification and permissions to allow their minor children to participate
in the program in accordance with the current “CyberPatriot User Agreement and Privacy
Policy” published by the Air Force Association.
2. Coordinate and provide permission for any student/cadet to register in the CyberPatriot
Competitor Relationship Management (CRM) system.
3. Coordinate, arrange, and approve involvement with the team by any “Mentor(s)” [technical
advisor(s)] or Team Assistants at the Coach’s sole discretion, whether in-person or online and
whether obtained from the CyberPatriot Mentor Databank or any other source.
4. Abide by the CyberPatriot Standards of Conduct attached to this document.
5. Act as the team’s single point of contact for the CyberPatriot Program Office.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
1. Deliver basic network security training to all assigned Competitors as may be reasonably
accommodated at the Coach’s sole discretion. Resources for accomplishing this training may be
found on the CyberPatriot website at www.uscyberpatriot.org.
2. Encourage Competitors to devote some time to self-study/preparation for the competition.
NOTE: This guidance may seem too flexible, but it is intended to spark creativity. Encouraging
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
Competitors to take a central role in team preparation (with adult guidance and involvement)
enhances both team cohesion and performance.
COMPETITION MANAGEMENT
1. Select and designate primary and alternate Competitors for each competition period. The
Competitors for any single competition period must be assigned from Competitors registered in
the CyberPatriot Competitor Relationship Management (CRM) System.
2. Uphold the integrity of the competition by ensuring that no more than five Competitors at a
time in any particular round of the competition and those Competitors do not receive
assistance from any external source.
3. Ensure that all rules of the competition as described in the CyberPatriot Rules Book and
competition emails are strictly followed.
COMPETITION LOGISTICS
1. Coordinate and support all elements of the preparatory training and online competition
rounds, including arranging a competition location and obtaining necessary computer
equipment for training/Qualification Rounds of the competition.
2. Provide feedback to the CyberPatriot management team and coordinate feedback from
Competitors designed to improve the entire program.
3. Agree to coordinate logistics for the trip with the CyberPatriot Program Office (all expenses
except entertainment and personal expenditures will be funded), should the team advance to
The National Finals Competition.
4. Agree to accompany the team and be responsible for supervision and guardianship during
the travel and onsite at The National Finals Competition.
I have read, understand, and agree to discharge the responsibilities described in the
CyberPatriot Coaches’ Agreement to the best of my abilities.
Signature:_______________________ Date:__________
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
APPENDIX II: STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
Working with young people can be among the most gratifying and impactful endeavors an adult
can undertake, but there are also special responsibilities that must be discharged to prevent
harm to the minor. As a CyberPatriot Coach, Mentor, or Team Assistant, I promise to strictly
follow the rules and guidelines in this CyberPatriot Standards of Conduct as a condition of my
providing services to the youth participating in CyberPatriot.
As a CyberPatriot Coach, Mentor, or Team Assistant, I will:







Treat everyone with respect, patience, integrity, courtesy, dignity, and consideration;
Emphasize ethical use of the internet and information technology skills and knowledge;
Insofar as practical, avoid situations where I am alone with an individual minor;
Use positive reinforcement rather than criticism when working with Competitors;
Refrain from giving expensive gifts to minors without prior written approval from the
parents or guardian of the individual;
Report suspected abuse of any kind to law enforcement, school authorities and the local
Child Protection Services agency as required by law; and
Cooperate fully in any investigation of abuse of minors.
As a CyberPatriot Coach, Mentor, or Team Assistant, I will NOT:









Smoke or use tobacco products in the presence of minors;
Use, possess, or be under the influence of alcohol at any time while working with the
team;
Use, possess, or be under the influence of illegal drugs at any time;
Pose any health risk to others (e.g., no contact with the team when in a contagious
condition);
Strike, spank, shake, or slap any youth participating in CyberPatriot;
Humiliate, ridicule, threaten, or degrade any youth participating in CyberPatriot;
Touch a youth in a sexual or other inappropriate manner;
Use discipline that frightens or humiliates any youth participating in CyberPatriot; and
Use profanity in the presence of any youth participating in CyberPatriot.
I understand that any action inconsistent with these Standards of Conduct, or failure to take
action mandated by this Standards of Conduct, may result in my removal and prohibition from
any future participation in CyberPatriot.
Signature:_______________________ Date:__________
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
APPENDIX III: HOME SCHOOL PARENTAL/GUARDIAN
APPROVAL FOR CYBERPATRIOT COACH
I the parent/guardian of _________________________ hereby give my permission for my
(Child’s Name)
child’s CyberPatriot Coach _________________________________ to have unsupervised
(Coach’s Name)
access to my child during CyberPatriot activities. I understand that in the absence of a
governing body for my home school, that I am the verification official for the background of
the CyberPatriot Coach and take full responsibility in allowing the Coach to interact with my
child.
Parent/Guardian Name: ____________________ Signature: _________________Date:______
Witness Name: ____________________ Signature: ____________________ Date: ______
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
APPENDIX IV: SAFETY
Safety and Competitor protection are the top priorities of the CyberPatriot Program. A Coach
should always consider the health and well-being of his team in choosing a competition
environment.
Safety and Competitor Protection Requirements. School, organization, and local directives
govern the safety and protection requirements of minors and facility standards. Some safety
considerations in choosing a competition space are listed below.
- Facility Security
- Adequate Lighting
- Emergency Services Available
- Crime Areas
- Electrical Safety
- Vehicle Safety
- Trip Hazards
- First Aid Kit
- Slip areas caused by ice, snow, water, petroleum products, etc.
- Unsupervised access to Competitors by other adults in public facilities
Coaches should mitigate any safety issues through remedial action or warnings to Competitors
and Mentors.
Reporting. In the event of an accident or other incident involving Competitors in a
CyberPatriot event; school, organization, and local reporting procedures shall be followed.
After notification of proper local authorities, Coaches should notify the CyberPatriot Program
Office following a significant incident at a CyberPatriot event. Incidents of interest to the
CyberPatriot Program Office are:
- Competitor who is a missing person last seen at a CyberPatriot event
- Injured Competitor requiring hospitalization
- Criminal act against a Competitor, Coach, chaperone, Mentor, competition staff, or
CyberPatriot supporter
- Severe weather or natural disaster that could negatively affect the Competitors or
competition
Reports to the CyberPatriot Program Office can be transmitted via email to
[email protected] or by phone at 1-877-885-5716.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
APPENDIX V: COACH ALTERNATE REQUEST
Coaches ensure that minors participating in the competition are protected and that parental
prerogatives are respected. (See Chapter 1.) A Coach Alternate is expected to assume the
Coach’s responsibilities of protecting of minors and preserving the integrity of the competition
by ensuring that all Competitors conduct themselves in a fair, ethical, and sportsmanlike
manner. Coach Alternate requests may be submitted to [email protected] in the
following format.
*From (Coach’s Information)
Last Name:
First Name:
Team Number: 07Email Address:
School Name/Organization Name:
Coach’s Contact Telephone Number:
*Must match information on file with the CyberPatriot Program Office.
I will be unable to participate in the CyberPatriot Competition during Round of Substitution.
I request that CyberPatriot competition-related email be sent to my Coach Alternate (NAME OF
COACH ALTERNATE) for this round.
Below is his or her contact information:
Email Address:
Contact Phone Number:
I certify that (NAME OF COACH ALTERNATE):
Agrees to the Coaches' Agreement and Standards of Conduct in the CyberPatriot Rules Book at
the Link.
Additionally, I certify that my Verification Official has verified that (NAME OF COACH
ALTERNATE) is authorized work unsupervised with minors in accordance with the youth
protection and other policies of my school or organization.
OR
I certify that (NAME OF COACH ALTERNATE) is authorized work unsupervised with minors in
accordance with the youth protection and other policies of my school or organization.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
APPENDIX VI: COMPETITOR CODE OF CONDUCT
1. I will consider the ethical and legal implications of my online actions every time I participate
in CyberPatriot.
2. I will not conduct, nor will I condone, any actions that attack, hack, penetrate, or interfere
with another team’s or individual’s computer system, nor will I use the cyber defense skills I
learn in CyberPatriot to develop hacking or other offensive skills.
3. I will not illegally copy or distribute software or other intellectual property.
4. I will not visit inappropriate Web sites while preparing for or participating in CyberPatriot.
5. I will not participate in or condone cyberbullying which includes such behaviors as teasing,
threatening, intimidating, humiliating, sexual harassment, racial harassment, and stalking.
6. I will follow the CyberPatriot rules of competition and will accept appropriate guidance from
my Coach.
7. I will not tamper with, modify, or attempt to manipulate any element of the CyberPatriot
competition or scoring systems.
8. I will not attempt to deceive, hoax, or “prank” other teams by forwarding or posting
erroneous or deceptive information on the Internet, by email, or on social networking sites.
9. I understand that violation of this code of conduct is grounds for my immediate dismissal
from my team and the disqualification of my team from CyberPatriot competition.
10. I will strive to use my participation in CyberPatriot to further my understanding of
cybersecurity.
Signature:_______________________ Date:__________
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
APPENDIX VII: CENTER OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAM
The Center of Excellence (COE) program recognizes higher education institutions, government
organizations, and other entities for exceptional support in promoting and supporting the
CyberPatriot program.
ELIGIBILITY
COE eligibility is open to:
• Non-profit organizations or consortia of organizations, firms, or businesses in relevant
areas , e.g.—technology, STEM education, cybersecurity
• City, county, and other municipalities
• State or other groupings of participating organizations, e.g.—State-wide Wings of Civil
Air Patrol, Scouting Councils
• School districts and collectives, e.g.—academy groupings, home school co-ops
• Higher education institutions such as community colleges, colleges, and universities
COE eligibility is not open to:
• For profit corporations or businesses
• Entire states
• Individual schools or CyberPatriot teams
BENEFITS
COEs are recognized as leading institutions and organizations in promoting STEM and cyber
education. COEs receive additional attention from the CyberPatriot program in piloting new
programs and processes, are eligible for additional sponsor support to include grants and
internships and may be targeted as recipients for hardware or software grants. COEs also
receive regional and national media attention from the CyberPatriot program.
SELECTION CRITERIA
• Success in recruiting high school and other teams to the CyberPatriot program
• Persistent promotion of CyberPatriot through media attention and by other means
• Sustained support of the CyberPatriot mentor program
• Successful community, industry, and education partnerships to promote CyberPatriot
• Demonstration of support and recognition to CyberPatriot teams in the community
RECOGNITION ELEMENTS
COEs receive a framed certificate and electronic logo that they may publish and display.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Nominations consist of a one-page written statement addressing why the eligible entity should
be awarded COE status and a cover letter signed by the head of the entity requesting COE
consideration. Explanations should include concrete examples of the entity’s efforts to promote
CyberPatriot. Applications are considered and approved by the National Commissioner within
30 days of receipt based on staff recommendations. Applications received that are over one
page in length or which are not accompanied by a signed cover letter will not be considered.
Applications may be submitted any time by email (including a scanned copy of the signed
forwarding letter) to [email protected] or mailed upon request.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
APPENDIX VIII: OPEN AND HIGH SCHOOL
ADVANCEMENT AND AWARDS EXAMPLE
Open Division State Advancement and Awards (Minnesota Example)
Platinum Tier
1. Maple Grove Senior High*†
-
Gold Tier
1. Andover Girl Scout Troop*‡
2. Blaine High School*‡
3. Anoka Parochial School‡
4. Park Center Senior High
Silver Tier
1. Chaplain Boys and Girls§
§
2.
Osseo
Senior High§
Club
-
In this example, Minnesota has seven Open Division teams. They are listed in terms of their
score following the State Rounds.




*Win AFA State Awards for being in the top three in the state. Platinum teams are
always ranked higher than Gold teams, which are always higher than Silver teams.
†
Advances to the Platinum Tier Regional Round and receives a Tier Certificate, as it is in
the top 3 for the state in that tier and is on the track to The National Finals Competition.
‡
Advance to the Gold Tier Regional Round and receive Tier Certificates for being in the
top 3 for Minnesota in that tier.
o Park Center may advance to the Intermediate Regional Round as a Wild Card if it
is in the top 12 nationally among teams that are not in the top 3 for their states.
§
Advance to the Silver Tier Regional Round and receive Tier Certificates because they
are in the top 3 for Minnesota in that tier.
All Service Division State Advancement and Awards (Montana Example)
Platinum Tier
1. Missoula AFJROTC*†
-
Gold Tier
1. Hamilton USNSCC Division*
2. Blaine Marine Corps JROTC*
3. Bozeman Navy JROTC‡
4. Great Falls CAP Squadron
Silver Tier
1. Butte AFJROTC
2. Helena CAP Squadron
-
In this example, Montana has seven All Service Division teams. They are listed in terms of their
score following the State Rounds.

*Win AFA State Awards for being in the top three in the state overall. Platinum teams
are always ranked higher than Gold teams, which are always higher than Silver teams.
 †The only team that has a chance to qualify for the National Finals Competition because
it is in the Platinum Tier.
 All teams listed may advance to the Category Rounds for their respective tier because
advancement is not based on within-state rankings. They may advance for being in the
top six for their service in their respective tiers or as a Wild Card.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
Open Division Regional Advancement and Awards (Midwest Example)
Platinum Tier
1. Maple Grove Senior High
(1st in MN Platinum State Round)*
2. Chicago High School
(2nd in IL Platinum State Round)*
3. Pierre Private School
(2nd in SD Platinum State Round)*
Gold Tier
1. Ames High School
(3rd in IA Gold State Round)
2. Blaine High School
(2nd in MN Gold State Round)
3. Andover Girl Scout Troop
(1st in MN Gold State Round)
Silver Tier
1. Fargo High School
(1st in ND Silver State Round)
2. Osseo Senior High
(2nd in MN Silver State Round)
3. Sioux Falls Parochial School
(3rd in SD Silver State Round)
In this example, which builds off of the Open Division State Round example, the Midwest
Region has at least nine teams participating in the Regional Rounds. They are listed in terms of
their score following the Regional Rounds and have their State Round placement noted. State
Award placement is not a factor in Regional Awards.


*Win Regional Awards for being in the top three in the Midwest Region overall.
Platinum teams are always ranked higher than Gold teams, which are always higher
than Silver teams. All of these teams may advance to The National Finals Competition if
they are in the top 12 among teams in all regions in the Platinum Round.
All teams in all tiers receive Tier Certificates for finishing in the top three of the Regional
Round within their Tiers. Teams participating in the Regional Rounds at all tier levels
that are not listed above do not receive Tier Certificates.
All Service Division Category Round Advancement and Awards (AFJROTC Example)
Platinum Tier
1. Missoula AFJROTC*†
Gold Tier
1. Seattle AFJROTC
Silver Tier
1. Denver AFJROTC
2. Washington DC AFJROTC*†
2. New Orleans AFJROTC
2. Richmond AFJROTC
3. Baltimore AFJROTC*
3. Minneapolis AFJROTC
3. Charlotte AFJROTC
In this example, which builds off of the All Service State Round example, at least nine Air Force
JROTC teams are participating in the Category Rounds. They are listed in terms of their score
following the Category Rounds. State Award placement is not a factor in Category Awards.



*Win Category Awards for being in the top 3 in the CAP Category overall. In terms of
awards, Platinum tier teams are always higher than Gold Tier teams, which are always
higher than Silver Tier teams.
†
Advance to the National Finals Competition because they are in the top two of the
Category in the Platinum Tier Category Round.
o Baltimore may advance to The National Finals Competition if they have the
highest score among all of the teams outside of the top two in each Category.
All teams receive Tier Certificate for finishing in the top three of the Category Round in
the tier. Teams participating in the Category Rounds at all tier levels that are not listed
above do not receive Tier Certificates.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
APPENDIX IX: APPEAL AND BACKUP DATE REQUEST FORMAT
All Requests and Appeals should be sent to [email protected]. For more information,
see Paragraph 5013.
From: (Team Coach’s Email Address)
Sent: (No later than deadline, Eastern Time)
To: [email protected]
Subject: Appeal: (School or Organization Name) (Team Number) (State/Territory/Province)
1. Subject of Appeal. (One Sentence)
2. Requested Action. (One Sentence)
3. Originator. (Team Coach’s Name)
4. Facts Bearing on the Appeal (One fact per subparagraph. Facts must answer the 5Ws.)
a.
b.
c.
5. Additional Comments. (Limit 100 words)
6. Supporting Attachments. (Limit two. Official documents and scoring data provide the best
documentation.)
1.
2.
*See the next page for an appeal or request example
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
Appeal or Request Example
From: Shur, Ima [mailto: [email protected]]
Sent: Friday, December 09, 2011 3:48 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Appeal: Metro High School 05-7766 NY
1. Subject of Appeal. Power Outage Prevented Metro High’s Participation in Round 2.
2. Requested Action. To Compete in Round 3, CyberPatriot IV Competition.
3. Originator. Ima Shur
4. Facts Bearing on the Appeal
a. At approximately 3:00 pm EST, Friday, December 2, 2011, the Metro High School team
logged into the Windows XP image for Round 2.
b. At approximately 3:30 pm EST, Friday, December 2, 2011, a snowstorm caused a power
outage that shutdown our school’s computer network, until Monday, December 5, 2011.
c. The Metro High School Principal, Dr. Baker, ordered the school closed at approximately
4:00 pm and sent home all people remaining in the school. (See Attachment 1.)
d. Due to the time of day, my team was unable to move to a nearby location to continue the
competition.
e. Travel on Metro area roads was becoming dangerous, so I sent the team members home.
(See Attachment 2, News Story, 5th paragraph).
f. I contacted the CyberPatriot helpdesk at approximately 4:00 pm, Friday, December 2,
2011, and told the Help Desk Operator, Cadet Merri, that my team could not participate in
the Round 2 of the CyberPatriot IV Competition.
5. Additional Comments (Limit 100 words). Any consideration you can give our team would be
appreciated. We scored 5th overall in Round 1 and I am sure that we would have done as well
or better in Round 2. If there is anything I can do to allow the Metro High School team to recompete in Round 2, please let me know.
6. Supporting Attachments (Limit 2)
a. Letter from Principal Baker
b. News Article
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
APPENDIX X: SPONSORS AND SPONSORSHIPS
The Air Force Association and its CyberPatriot Program take great care in the branding of
CyberPatriot. Our sponsors must have common values with the Air Force Association and make
a significant contribution to the CyberPatriot Program before they can be associated with the
program.
National Sponsors. Our national sponsors provide the resources to sustain the CyberPatriot
Program across the United States and the globe. According to their sponsorship level,
CyberPatriot’s national sponsors earned recognition in CyberPatriot events, as well as name
association with CyberPatriot. CyberPatriot literature and other media contain the sponsors’
logos. National sponsors conduct their sponsorship through the CyberPatriot Program Office.
Local Team Sponsors. Local sponsors may sponsor specific local teams, but may not use the
CyberPatriot Logo in their advertising. If a team advances to the National Finals Competition or
is involved in another event other than a team competition, the team shall not use the local
sponsor’s name, logo, or other identifying characteristics.
If you know of anyone interested in becoming a CyberPatriot national sponsor or if you want to
know more about sponsorship, please visit our website at www.uscyberpatriot.org or contact
the CyberPatriot Program Office by email at [email protected] or call 877-885-5716.
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CYBERPATRIOT VII COMPETITION RULES AND PROCEDURES (CYBERPATRIOT RULES BOOK)
APPENDIX XI: CYBERPATRIOT MEDIA GUIDELINES
CyberPatriot is a great opportunity for your high school or organization, such as JROTC,
USNSCC, and CAP, to draw local and state media coverage. Television stations, newspapers,
and radio stations are generally interested in good stories of youth doing good things, and
CyberPatriot is a terrific example of that.
We encourage you to work through your school administration or unit public affairs
representative when handling any media inquiries.
We also ask that you adhere to the following guidelines:


CyberPatriot should be written as one word, with a capital “C” and a capital “P”
At its first mention, the complete title of the program should be used: “CyberPatriot—
The National Youth Cyber Education Program”
In every release or interview please ensure the following is communicated:



CyberPatriot was established by the Air Force Association.
The Northrop Grumman Foundation is the Presenting Sponsor for CyberPatriot VII.
CyberPatriot’s Development partner is CIAS at the University of Texas-San Antonio.
Any use of the CyberPatriot logo or other collateral must be approved by the CyberPatriot
Program Office.
National media inquiries may be directed to Lyndsey Akers of the Air Force Association
[email protected], 703-247-5847.
65