D&E Employees in the News
05-08-08 - Mr. Jerry Shenk Volunteers at Cyber Defense Competition
A day off work gives a D&E employee a chance to give back at a Department of Homeland Security sponsored event.
Mr. Jerry Shenk, Senior Systems Engineer, volunteered at the 3rd Annual Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, held in Lancaster, PA in March 2008. This event allows college students to put their classroom theories and skills to the test, by working hands-on with existing commercial networks.
At the start of this year's competition, four colleges were given identical computer configurations. The focus of their assignment was to manage and protect their existing networks. However, the Red Team which consisted of six volunteers from different companies, would attack the team's networks. The students would then have to react by making corrections to better their systems. "I was an attacker," said Shenk, "I made life difficult for the teams."
This was Shenk's first year volunteering for the regional event. He was also able to volunteer earlier this year for the qualifying round into the regionals. Shenk explained he got involved in order, "to encourage more security-awareness for college students. It is a great way for students to learn what a career would be like in security."
Based on CyberWatch Center's website the mission for the competition is to "enhance students' understanding of both theory and practice". Mr. Shenk believes that this competition gives the students real world experience. "They get to learn how to secure a network and what an attack looks like", he said. The students also are able to enhance their team work skills and professional behavior.
The three-day competition was not only great for the students, but also for Shenk himself. He was able to use his skills by practicing on live targets, as well as interacting and comparing notes with colleagues from other companies. The entire experience was beneficial for Shenk and he readily admitted that given the opportunity he would volunteer for this competition again in the future.