UEFers win First Prize at "SOC Student Challenge", affirming capabilities in cybersecurity

Amidst the context where information safety and cybersecurity increasingly hold a crucial role in the digital transformation process, equipping students with specialized knowledge and practical skills has become an essential requirement.

With the goal of creating an academic environment tied to practical reality, the UEF Faculty of Information Technology successfully organized the Grand Finale of the "SOC Student Challenge" competition on the morning of June 11, providing an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge, test themselves with real-world operational scenarios, and affirm their capabilities in the cybersecurity field.

The competition provided a professional academic environment for students to explore the field of cybersecurity.

Attending the program were Dr. Van Thi Thien Trang - Vice Dean of the UEF Faculty of Information Technology; Mr. Pham Quy Thuan - lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Hung Vuong University HCMC, along with numerous lecturers and students. The Jury Council featured Mr. Pham Van Hao - Head of Cybersecurity Operations at ShieldNet360 Vietnam Cybersecurity Company, and Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Dai - lecturer at the UEF Faculty of Information Technology.

A representative of the organizing committee expressed sincere appreciation to the judging panel.

Speaking at the program, Dr. Thien Trang acknowledged and commended the serious and enthusiastic spirit of the contestants present at the Grand Finale. She emphasized that regardless of the final outcome, the process of participating in the competition provided students with valuable practical experiences, helping to consolidate specialized knowledge, hone skills, and accumulate necessary experience for their future career journeys.

A representative of the organizing committee also expressed the hope that students would continue to nurture their passion for information security, pursue continuous learning and research, and further develop their skills to become highly qualified cybersecurity professionals. The competition was not only a valuable academic platform but also a source of motivation for students to demonstrate their capabilities and prepare themselves to meet the growing demand for a high-quality cybersecurity workforce in the digital era.

The competition provided students with the opportunity to gain practical experience in the field of information security.

The exam was designed with a career-oriented practical approach, consisting of two parts: theory and practical tracking and analysis on a SIEM system, with a total duration of 90 minutes.

Among them, the theoretical section comprised 50 multiple-choice questions completed within about 30 minutes. The remaining time was dedicated to the computer-based practical section. Contestants directly accessed the SIEM platform to carry out analysis, tracking, and cybersecurity incident handling requirements. Notably, the organizers encouraged students to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in the practical section to enhance problem-solving efficiency, while the theoretical section required learners to rely entirely on their personal knowledge and capabilities.

Through the competition, students were not only assessed on their professional knowledge and technical competencies but also had the opportunity to experience a working environment that closely resembles real-world Security Operations Centers (SOCs). They developed analytical thinking, incident response skills, and the ability to apply technology to solve practical problems. The competition also provided an opportunity for students to strengthen their career readiness and prepare for future opportunities in the rapidly growing fields of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

Students completed theoretical assessments and practical investigation tasks using laptops.

After a period of competition, the First Prize went to Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dieu—an Information Technology student at UEF. The Second Prize was awarded to Vy Van Son—an Information Technology student at UEF. The Third Prize belonged to Nguyen Hoang Nam—an Information Technology student at Hung Vuong University HCMC. Two Consolation Prizes were respectively awarded to Nguyen Quang Dzung (UEF) and Phan Huynh Phi Long (Hung Vuong University HCMC).

The Final Results of the "SOC Student Challenge"

The achieved results recognized the study and research efforts of the contestants and demonstrated the professional competence of UEF students in the field of information security. Through the competition, the university continues to affirm its training orientation of bridging academic knowledge and career reality, creating conditions for students to develop professional competence, ready to integrate and meet the demands of the labor market in the digital age.