Cyber security and military-tech: we invite you to participate in the National Defense Hackathon 2022

On October 20-21, the National Defensive Hackathon 2022 will be held in Kyiv, which will bring together the best specialists in cyber security and countering disinformation, leading IT experts from the private and public sectors. Ukrainian experts, together with representatives of partner countries, will work on innovative solutions that will help the Armed Forces gain a technological advantage over the enemy.

In a full-scale war against our country, the russian federation uses all means of military, political, economic and informational and psychological influence. In fact, we are the first country in the world, which in the 21st century is forced to repel the enemy in four spaces at once: on land, on water, in the air, in cyberspace. Active aggression in information and cyberspace plays a special role in the enemy's strategy. Today, more than ever, the coordination of the efforts of the entire cyber community, IT business and specialists in combating cyber threats, IPSO, etc., is more relevant in order to ensure that Ukraine's cyber defense and its information sovereignty are strong, - noted the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov. — Popularization of the progressive military-style in the domestic high-tech community and the development of the military-tech sphere — the creation of IT startups in the interests of the military sphere, their integration with business and the needs of citizens — are among our priorities and will contribute to the construction of our own digital sovereignty with a point support for defense and security".

The National Defensive Hackathon 2022 is organized by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine together with the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center at the NSDC of Ukraine (NCSCC), the Center for Combating Disinformation with the support of the US Civilian Research and Development Fund in Ukraine, the US State Department and NATO. NATO's leading cyber experts, as well as experts from friendly countries: Poland, Great Britain, USA, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and other EU countries are invited to the hackathon.

"The cyber component of this war is no less important than the military one, it is a fundamentally important front. Therefore, the priority today is to unite the efforts of the state, business, cyber volunteers and the international community to effectively repel russian aggression both on the battlefield and in cyberspace. We need innovative solutions that will be relevant for the military now and will raise the state's cyber defense to the highest level in the future. In the next five to ten years, cyber weapons will become number one in the world. And we should not just be ready for it, but become one of the world leaders of stability in cyberspace," stressed Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

Over the course of two days, hackathon participants will work on three types of tasks: technological, organizational and legal, and countering information and psychological operations (PSYOPS). In particular, they will develop solutions for the development of the military-tech industry, which will strengthen the state's cyber defense and help the Armed Forces in the fight against russia.

"In terms of the scale and nature of military operations, their intensity, this war is comparable to the First and Second World Wars. But it is more complicated, because it happens in the era of high technologies. Confrontation in cyberspace, the use of satellite communications and space intelligence, online information support, unmanned aerial vehicles are all realities and challenges of our time. Ukraine has significant intellectual potential. And I hope that events such as the National Defense Hackathon will help to make the most of it to achieve our Victory," says the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Valery Zaluzhny.

Mykhailo Verych, head of operations of the US Civilian Research and Development Fund in Ukraine, said that the coordination of joint efforts remains a priority and is an important prerequisite for successfully countering cyber threats: "Ukraine is now supported by the entire democratic world. And this support should be seen more as an opportunity for further development of the field of cyber security in the country, rather than just a helping hand. The holding of the National Defense Hackathon will, first of all, make it possible to find innovative solutions that are now needed by our defenders, and will contribute to the deepening of cooperation with international partners."

During the hackathon, there will also be a presentation of innovative Ukrainian projects in the field of cyber security and defense. You can take part in the hackathon as a team member or as a mentor or judge: https://hackathon.mil.gov.ua/. Application deadline: October 15, 2022.