UVA alumni’s company takes training to the ‘Cyber World Cup’

Source Domain: news.virginia.edu

Five years ago, when a major hacking attempt was successful, “it was big news,” said Roman Bohuk, a cybersecurity expert and 2020 University of Virginia alumnus.

But, nowadays, “There’s probably 10 news articles each day about some kind of big company getting hacked,” Bohuk said.

Earlier this month, a cyberattack temporarily shut down Canvas, an online education platform used by schools nationwide – including UVA – as end-of-semester staples like final exams and projects were in full swing.

That incident reinforced the growing demand for companies like SkillBit, the Charlottesville-based startup Bohuk co-founded with fellow Wahoo Thomas Rogers.

Originally launched as “MetaCTF,” SkillBit helps companies assess, train and strengthen cybersecurity teams through hands-on simulations designed to mirror real-world attacks.

Its client list includes companies such as Uber and GitHub, as well as the University of South Florida. This week, for the second time since 2023, SkillBit is serving as a platform host for the International Cybersecurity Competition in Queensland, Australia.

Known informally as the “Cyber World Cup,” the event features teams from more than 80 countries competing in cybersecurity challenges.

Rogers, a former UVA basketball player, used a local hoops analogy to describe SkillBit’s role in the event.

“It’s like they’re providing JPJ (John Paul Jones Arena) and inviting the teams,” Rogers said, “but we’re giving them the court, the balls, the baskets to help run the infrastructure around the actual game.

“We are creating the scenarios that the teams are going to have to solve as a part of the competition.”

Whether through international competitions or corporate training exercises, SkillBit’s goal is to help organizations better prepare for cyber threats.

“We’ll build a mock website for a small business,” Rogers said, describing a typical exercise, “and we build the website…

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