Setting the Blue and Gold Standard in Cyberspace

Influencing a Tri-Chaired Government Initiative: DoD-FAA-DHS Aviation Cyber Rodeo CTF Since 2023, the CIS department has been at the center of a tri-chaired U.S. government initiative, offering its CTF competition to the employees of agencies and industries responsible for protecting the nation against cyber threats. Embry-Riddle plays a pivotal role in the joint Aviation Cyber Initiative, led by the Department of Defense (DoD), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Embry-Riddle organized a Cyber Rodeo event at its Daytona Beach Campus, with the CIS department spearheading the CTF competition event. The objective was clear: to enlighten the aviation, security and safety communities on crucial cyber intelligence and security issues. The winning team emerged as ROTC cadets from cyber programs at the Prescott Campus and the FAA team earned second place, showcasing the diverse talents within the initiative.

Hosting the CTF at Premier Industry Events: A-ISAC Summits, DEF CON, Southwest Airlines and Collins Aerospace The CIS department has hosted the aviation cyber CTF in person at various venues since 2022, including the Aviation ISAC Summit, DEF CON’s Aerospace Village, Collins Aerospace headquarters in Iowa and Southwest Airlines headquarters in Texas. The CTF has also traveled internationally with CIS faculty and students, reaching Ireland in 2023 and Switzerland in the fall of 2025. The CTF competition has engaged hundreds of professionals from cybersecurity, IT, safety, security and aerospace backgrounds across global organizations. Major airlines, including American Airlines, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines, have also benefited from the experience. Several of these visits have provided CIS students unique opportunities to interact with a diverse network of experts and industry leaders while exploring cutting- edge facilities. The international travel experiences have further enriched their learning and created lasting memories.