A major cyber incident has occurred. How should world leaders respond?

What if some of the world’s most critical assets came under cyber-attack overnight? In the age of mass digital communication, this could lead to an unprecedented disruption in today’s societies and threaten the entire international security architecture...

In 2023, at the Geneva Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, student competitors will once again be tasked to develop security policy recommendations to tackle a fictional cyber incident with global repercussions. Critical infrastructures, increased interconnectedness, and the role of the private technology sector will be at the centre of our new scenario!

What is the challenge all about?

At the crossroad between geopolitics and cybersecurity, the Geneva Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge is one of several annual cyber policy and strategy competitions where students from across the globe compete in developing policy recommendations tackling a fictional cyber catastrophe. Part interactive learning experience and part competitive scenario exercise, it challenges teams to respond to a realistic, evolving cyberattack and analyse the threat it poses to national, international, and private sector interests.

Instituted by the US-based think tank Atlantic Council, the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge has been going now for more than ten years. It was conceived from the outset as a tool to bridge the gap between technical and non-technical by engaging students in a cyber incident response exercise. The competition is unique in that it requires from student competitors to address a cyber crisis with a holistic and multidisciplinary approach.

In partnership with Atlantic Council, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) has been hosting the Geneva leg of the competition since 2015. To date, the Geneva Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge has engaged over one thousand students from a diverse range of countries and universities in Europe, Africa, North and South America and beyond. Building on its renowned experience in training the next generations of young leaders, policymakers, diplomats and international security experts, the GCSP, through the competition, seeks to bring together in an inclusive environment a global community of actors to tackle the cybersecurity challenges of tomorrow.

A renewed virtual setting

After a successful 2022 virtual edition, the 9th Geneva Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge will once again take place virtually on 13-14 April 2023. This time however, it will depart from hosting the competition on Zoom.

In partnership with EventMobi, the GCSP is excited to announce that the next Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge will take place on a brand-new customized online platform dedicated to bringing virtually in one single location all components of a traditional physical event, from competition rooms to plenary meetings, side event panels and networking spaces. The platform will not only enable participants to freely walk in and around the virtual premises of the competition, but it will also give them the opportunity to meet, exchange and interact with each other at any time throughout the event.

By offering competitors, judges and invitees a one-of-a-kind experience tailored to their needs and expectations, the Geneva Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge wants to position itself at the forefront of innovation while ensuring diversity and inclusion of participating teams.

Note: only accepted teams will receive their credentials to access the platform

Prize Categories

• 1st place: CHF 1’000 + Special Individual Prize
• Other awards include:
  • Most Creative Policy Response
  • Best Teamwork
  • Best Oral Presentation
  • Best Decision Document

The Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge is open to all students currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programme. There are no explicit requirements as to academic discipline, major, coursework topic, or prior experience in cyber conflict necessary to compete, but successful applicants will have a strong link between cyber conflict policy and their current academic interest.

For any student wishing to advance their career opportunities in the field of cyber security, attending this competition provides a great entry on your CV and is a real career booster! Hear more on that from past participant Robin Andreasson who competed in the Geneva Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge 2019.