The National Data Management Authority (NDMA) yesterday said that its cybersecurity team comprising Justino DaSilva, Shameer Jalim, Maryam Bacchus, Latoya Etkins, and Irshad Nasir achieved a prestigious top 20 finish, placing 18th at the CyberQ: Security in the Quantum Era Hackathon.
The Quantum Era Hackathon was hosted by the UAE Cyber Security Council and supported by the Technology Innovation Institute (TII). The global event brought together eighty-five teams from across the world to tackle the challenges posed by quantum advancements in cybersecurity.
A press release from NDMA said that the CyberQ Hackathon provided an invaluable opportunity for participants to explore and test their skills in post-quantum cryptography, Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), migration strategies, and hybrid cryptographic solutions. As the world moves towards the quantum era, the release underscored that understanding the implications for data security is more critical than ever. Teams, the release said, were tasked with confronting real-world quantum threats and demonstrating their ability to safeguard critical information in an era where traditional encryption systems may no longer be secure.
According to the release, among the top teams was the five-member group from NDMA’s Cybersecurity Department that demonstrated exceptional skill and expertise in tackling the hackathon’s challenging scenarios. Their achievement, the release stated, underscores NDMA’s commitment to advancing cybersecurity capabilities in the face of emerging technologies.
The insightful feedback provided by the NDMA team following the conclusion of the hackathon highlighted the significance of quantum cryptography and its growing importance in securing data in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
