Three cybersecurity majors place second in Capture the Flag contest

December 2, 2019
UNG students Brendon Mitchell, David Hamback, and Jack Crowder won the Capture the Flag contest during the BSidesAugusta conference.

Article By: Staff

A trio of University of North Georgia (UNG) students attended the BSidesAugusta conference in October to hear seminars and network with cybersecurity experts. In the waning minutes of the one-day conference, the three, all of whom are pursuing cybersecurity degrees, decided to compete in the Capture the Flag contest.

"We weren't expecting to get anywhere," said David Hamback, a 23-year-old junior from Stone Mountain, Georgia. "But we wanted to do as much as we could."

Their efforts proved successful. Hamback, Jack Crowder and Brendon Mitchell, all pursuing cybersecurity degrees, went from last place to second place in less than 30 minutes. They beat more than 30 teams and individuals who participated in the competition that involved picking locks, escaping from handcuffs and hacking computers.

"It was awesome," said Crowder, a 21-year-old sophomore from Cumming, Georgia.

Mitchell, an 18-year-old sophomore from Braselton, Georgia, said the winner competed all day while he and his UNG teammates played for only 30 minutes.

"It was my first Capture The Flag, and it was a great experience," Mitchell said. "I wish we had allocated more time."


24 are Distinguished Military Graduates

24 are Distinguished Military Graduates

Twenty-four cadets have been named Distinguished Military Graduates for the 2024-25 academic year, including five who are in the top 70 out of more than 5,000 in the national ROTC class.
Blue Ridge students earn scholarships

Blue Ridge students earn scholarships

UNG honored 28 of its Blue Ridge Campus students with almost $15,000 of scholarships and celebrated the philanthropy that made those scholarships possible at the Tomato Sandwich Supper on Nov. 7.
From First-Gen to dean of students

From First-Gen to dean of students

Ebonee Dendy was inspired by her grandmother to earn a college degree and is now UNG’s dean of students at the Oconee Campus.
Professor earns data security patent

Professor earns data security patent

Faculty member Dr. Murthy Rallapalli is the lead investigator on a cutting-edge data security solution that recently received a patent.