CSE CyberHerd member Sanaan Fayaz Wani, a junior majoring in Computer Science, played a pivotal role in leading his team to victory in the Cyber Security Challenge, securing first place and a $4,500 prize at the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) National Conference, which took place from October 30 to November 3 in Anaheim, California.
Sanaan Wani holding the $4,500 cheque after winning the Cyber Security Challenge at the 2024 SHPE National Conference.
Founded in 1974, SHPE is committed to enhancing minority representation in STEM fields. “While SHPE focuses on supporting Hispanic students, it is open to individuals of all ethnicities from STEM disciplines who can benefit from the resources and opportunities the organization provides,” said Professor Pazos-Revilla. The organization offers training, mentorship, networking opportunities, and a variety of programs to foster a dynamic community. This year’s conference celebrated SHPE's 50th anniversary, attracting over 15,000 students, featuring more than 350 exhibitors, and providing 700 interview booths. Over the course of five days, the event served as a critical platform for networking and professional development, uniting recruiters, researchers, and students from across the United States.
At the conference, SHPE hosted a Capture the Flag (CTF) Cybersecurity Challenge sponsored by industry leaders such as IBM, NSA, RTX, and Qualcomm. The challenge was open to all the students at the conference. It featured puzzles and questions across categories like programming, reverse engineering, and binary operations. “It started pretty easy with multiple-choice questions about security fundamentals, but the harder questions made you work for the answer,” said Sanaan. “At CyberHerd, we are always preparing for new competitions and pursuing the next big thing. So, when I first heard they were hosting a CTF at SHPE, I knew I had to participate.” Despite being placed on a randomly assigned team, Sanaan excelled, scoring the most points and leading his team to victory.
“You would think they would host a hackathon before a CTF,” Sanaan noted. “That shows the industry’s growing focus on cybersecurity.”
The SHPE conference provided more than just the competition, and Sanaan fully embraced the opportunities available. “I had on-site interviews with Bank of America and Qualcomm, and I also received an NSA challenge coin from one of their representatives for my performance in the CTF.” The team's remarkable achievement earned them a $4,500 cash prize, shared among members.
The NSA challenge coin awarded to Sanaan Wani by a representative from the NSA in recognition of his performance during the CTF.
“He's one of the newer members of the CyberHerd team and has only been with us for a few months. Despite his brief time with the team, he's clearly proven that he is at competition level,” said Professor Pazos-Revilla. “He's done very well to represent USF, and I look forward to seeing him in other competitions in the near future.”
“At CyberHerd, I’m surrounded by individuals training for the highest level of excellence. It can be tough to push your limits alone, but being in the company of such driven people inspires you to strive for more," Sanaan added.
Learn more about the CyberHerd and see how to join here.
Learn more about the SHPE Conference here.