The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) is challenging organisations and members of the public to test their cyber-response ability and forensic skills.
ACSC has released an online simulated cyber incident which organisations can use as a group training exercise for their cyber-security staff.
The Centre said the challenge was originally run at the BSides Canberra Conference in April.
It said in its cyber-challenge scenario that the Australian Logic and Interstellar Exploration Network (ALIEN) had put out a request for help from each player as the participating challenge organisation or individual.
It said an unknown cyber actor had blackmailed ALIEN claiming they were to release ALIEN’s research data unless they were paid a hefty sum.
ACSC went on to say ALIEN believed the information must have been stolen through a cyber intrusion and therefore enlisted help to work alongside the ACSC to investigate what had happened.
It said that to investigate the simulated incident, participants would be presented with questions to gather the key findings.
According to ACSC all questions can be answered using common open-source tools, with each player able to use their favourite suite of forensics tools to complete the challenge.
It said the questions were designed to increase in difficulty throughout the challenge with some existing knowledge of incident response and forensics recommended.
ACSC says it is unable to provide assistance in completing the incident response challenge.
The Centre’s challenge materials zip file can be accessed at this PS News link.
