Dear 7Cs Students,

We’re excited to announce an upcoming opportunity for students interested in cybersecurity, public policy, and strategic thinking.

The Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative, is excited to host the inaugural Monterey, CA Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge the weekend of November 7–8, 2025, at the beautiful campus of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS). We’re excited to welcome competitors, coaches and judges to our first-ever Cyber 9/12 competition on the West Coast. The competition will be held in-person on the MIIS campus.

About the Competition

• Annual cyber policy and strategy competition for global student participation
• Students develop policy recommendations for fictional cyber catastrophe scenarios
• Now in its 14th year globally since establishment in Washington, DC in 2012

Global Reach

• Engaged 1,000+ students from universities across US, Europe, Latin America, Indo-Pacific, Africa, Central Asia, and Middle East

Benefits & Opportunities

• Interaction with expert mentors and high-level cyber professionals
• Development of policy analysis and presentation skills
• Mentorship, recruiting, and networking opportunities
• Pipeline for next generation of cyber policymakers
• Building global community of multidisciplinary cybersecurity professionals

Origin & Purpose

• Created by Cyber Statecraft Initiative to address “What comes after a Cyber 9/11?”
• Prepares students for post-incident response (the “Cyber 9/12”)
• Internationally recognized brand for students interested in cyber policy

Why Cyber 9/12? For years, policymakers have explored what a catastrophic cyberattack might look like— with terms like “Cyber Pearl Harbor” or “Cyber 9/11” regularly referenced in the US. In 2012, the Cyber Statecraft Initiative took this debate and examined it from a different point of view. In anticipation of national cyber crises, like a Cyber 9/11, how can we train future cyber policy leaders to handle the crisis? How can we prepare them for the day after the incident, the Cyber 9/12. In the twelve years since Cyber 9/12 was established, the competition program has grown into an internationally recognized brand and experience for students interested in cyber policy.

If you’re new to the competition, we encourage you to visit the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge Preparation Materials page. There you’ll find a helpful starter pack, rules and grading rubric, and playbooks featuring award-winning recommendations from past competitors. Event organizers also regularly post articles highlighting alumni stories and judges’ experiences and perspectives, offering insight into the real-world impact of the competition and the professional journeys it helps shape.

Register your interest now to be notified as soon as event registration goes live.

If you’re interested in participating in CGU’s team, please email us at cyberclub [at] cgu.edu.

This article was originally published in The Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics e-mail list.