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NEWS | May 9, 2023

Updates to Cyber Command's challenge problems

By U.S. Cyber Command Public Affairs

FORT MEADE, Maryland – U.S. Cyber Command released an unclassified update to the Command's Challenge Problem Set for 2023.

The update to these command challenge problems reflects CYBERCOM's continued commitment to innovation and transparency as the leader in the cyberspace domain.

Our mission is to safeguard our country's interests by countering malicious cyber actors in and through the cyber domain. We accomplish this by directing, synchronizing, and coordinating cyberspace planning and operations; working closely with interagency, industry, international, and academic partners, ensuring a collaborative and innovated approach.

“We are excited to release the updated Command Challenge Problems,” said Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, commander, CYBERCOM. “As we work to defend the nation against some of the most challenging threats today and look forward to using them to increase our dialogue and collaboration with industry, academia, and foreign partners.”

CYBERCOM intends to utilize the challenge problems as conversation starters with broader partners and the science and technology communities, in an effort to work together towards novel solutions to complex problems.

The challenge problems are organized into six categories. Each category captures specific expertise and skill sets to align with external commercial and academic research, development, and product portfolios.

CYBERCOM Command Challenge Problems Categories:

1) Vulnerabilities and Exploits

2) Network Security, Monitory, and Visualization

3) Modeling and Predictive Analytics

4) Persona and Identify Activities

5) Permeability and Agility Across Domains

6) Infrastructure and Transport

The 2023 update is the culmination of an extensive effort by the command to enhance and foster increased cooperation and innovation with a broader range of partners.

USCYBERCOM aims to use these challenge problems to identify and share requirements for reissuing and updating directives that support command operations, efforts, and our overall mission.

Based on the 2020 Technical Challenge Problems (TCPs) and in light of ongoing, current operational needs, CYBERCOM developed the 2023 Command Challenge Problems and will continue to update them to advance our mission in the dynamic cyber domain.

The Command Challenge Problems are posted on the Technical Outreach Division page under Partnerships and Outreach section on the USCYBERCOM Portal. The document is located in the resources section.