Security is a State of Mind, Are You In?
One weak password, one careless click or one overlooked vulnerability can open the door to a cyberattack. With digital threats becoming an ever-present concern, the 12th Namibia National Cybersecurity Competition (NNCSC) brought together aspiring cybersecurity professionals to put their skills to the test and champion a safer digital future.
Hosted by NUST’s Faculty of Computing and Informatics under the theme “Security is a State of Mind, Are You In?”, the competition welcomed teams from NUST, the University of Namibia (UNAM), Lingua College and the International University of Management (IUM).
The event’s inaugural Community Day set the stage for conversations about cyber hygiene, secure online practices and the importance of protecting oneself in the digital world. Delivering the keynote address, Ms Cornelia Shipindo, Executive at NAM-CSIRT, emphasised that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. “No single organisation can address cybersecurity challenges alone. Government institutions, regulators, universities, businesses, technology providers, civil society, cybersecurity professionals, students and members of the public all have a role to play,” she said, highlighting the need for collaboration to build a safer digital environment for all.
The competition put participants through three challenges: defending systems against industry professionals, capturing digital “flags” by exploiting vulnerabilities in opposing teams’ systems, and identifying social engineering attempts. Each challenge tested participants’ technical knowledge, speed, strategic thinking and awareness of human vulnerabilities.
After a full day of intense competition, NUST Team A emerged as the overall winner, with Lingua Team A taking second place and NUST Team B securing third. IUM received the Judges’ Award for team discipline and minimal use of artificial intelligence. Judging was led by Senior Chief Inspector Gabriel Paxula, supported by cybersecurity experts from banking, government, ICT and law enforcement.
The event received industry support from Capricorn Group, Winville Group Technologies, NAM-CSIRT, Onix, Salt Essentials IT and Exedin-Tate Group. Community Day exhibitors included Africa Online, ISACA, the NUST Cybersecurity Team and Tenebix, among others.
