Equipping and Preparing the Team

Hardware

Teams are expected to be able to host Windows and Linux VMware-based virtual machines during the competitions (hosting the images in other fashions is not officially supported by CyberPatriot) which makes computer hardware a critical component of the CyberPatriot competition.

Teams must have computers that are capable of running a 64bit version of Windows. While most Windows-based computers of the past few years are 64bit processor based, it is imperative that the coach or technical mentor verify that the computer is actually capable of running a 64bit version of Windows. CAP still has a large number of Windows XP laptops in the field; these will not work for CyberPatriot purposes in regards to hosting the VMware images. If a CAP unit finds that their CAP-provided laptop is not 64bit Windows capable, the unit should contact the wing's logistics officer to inquire about a newer laptop.

Macs may be used by using VMWare Fusion to run the images, but VMWare Fusion is not free and the CyberPatriot Program Office can provide only limited technical support.

The current minimum recommended specifications can be found at https://www.uscyberpatriot.org/competition/Competition-Overview/technical-specifications.

Therefore, it is not necessary that you have an expensive computer to compete. However, to be effective, it is best that a team have at least three computers for competition day, but preferably one computer per team member. A team can compete with a single computer but it is extremely difficult and also nearly impossible to be competitive. When there are three images to secure in a competition, having fewer computers than images and team members is very difficult.

Internet

It is also required that the team have Internet access during the competition. Without an Internet connection, the team cannot register their competition image and the scoring system cannot upload the team's scores.

The scoring system itself does not require much network bandwidth. However, it will be necessary during competition to update your systems to the latest versions of software. Having a 1.5Mbps connection at a minimum is necessary to download these items. Faster Internet speed will be beneficial in reducing the time required to download updates and patches.

The most common issue teams encounter with their network deals with school firewalls blocking access. CyberPatriot provides a test program to help teams ensure their network access is compatible with the scoring system. For teams that do compete and practice in areas where team associates do not control the network, it is important to maintain a good working relationship with the local network administrators. Having a network failure is not grounds for an appeal of the team's score or to allow the team to participate during a backup competition period.

AT&T, as a sponsor of CyberPatriot, does provide wireless air cards for use in the CyberPatriot program. However, the availability of those devices is very limited and there may not be a strong AT&T wireless signal in your area. Typically, early in the competition season, coaches will be contacted about the availability of the air cards and cards are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

Software

All the software necessary for training and competition is either free or made available to CyberPatriot teams by the Air Force Association in cooperation with the program sponsors.

The competition consists of securing virtual machines that run within your own hardware. The primary software to run a machine within a machine is called VMWare Workstation Player which is free for non-commercial use. Once VMWare Workstation Player is installed on your host machine, you "boot" the virtual machine within VMWare Workstation Player.

For training purposes, it is desirable for a team to develop practice images. Microsoft, through their Microsoft Imagine program, has made the installation media for many Microsoft products available at no cost. Each cadet team member, coach and technical mentor will receive a Microsoft Imagine account. From that account, you can download the installation files for any Microsoft operating system that is still supported plus several system tools such as the Microsoft mail server (Exchange) and the Microsoft database (SQL Server).

Using the downloaded installation media, you can boot the VMWare Workstation Player program from the file just like you can boot a computer from a CDROM or DVD. From there, you can install the operating system inside of VMWare.

In addition, virtually any Linux distribution can be downloaded free from the developers. Currently, Ubuntu is the Linux distribution of choice for CyberPatriot but that can change at any time.

Practice Scoring

Before the season's first competition, CyberPatriot will provide several practice images through exhibition and practice rounds. These images are opportunities for teams to experience what it will be like in an actual competition and it is advisable that teams take advantage of every opportunity to learn from these practice images. Using these practice images as the basis for a mock competition day would be advantageous for new team members.

Since those opportunities are limited, the CyberPatriot program office in conjunction with Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi has developed a test scoring engine. Coaches, mentors and team members can use this tool to develop images that tests the abilities of other team members. Although this tool is not as robust and sophisticated as the scoring engine used in competition, it does gives teams the ability to test themselves in identifying and remediating system vulnerabilities.