Seton Hall Students to Compete in 2026 Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge

Seton Hall University’s Cybersecurity Club will once again represent the University in the prestigious Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, taking place March 7–8, 2026, in Washington, DC. The team will compete virtually in the flagship competition, joining students from around the world in tackling a simulated international cyber crisis. 

Hosted by the Atlantic Council through its Cyber Statecraft Initiative, the annual competition challenges students to develop policy recommendations in response to a fictional but realistic cyber catastrophe. Participants must analyze evolving threats, assess national and international implications and present actionable strategies to a panel of experts from government, industry and academia.

The interdisciplinary composition of the team reflects the competition’s emphasis on collaboration across technical, policy and strategic domains. By bringing together students from IT Management, Finance and Technology and Physics, the team mirrors the real-world environments in which cybersecurity decisions are rarely made in isolation. Effective cyber crisis response requires not only technical expertise, but also an understanding of financial systems, regulatory implications, geopolitical considerations and risk communication. The diverse academic backgrounds of this year’s competitors, compared to previous years, position them to approach complex scenarios from multiple perspectives, essential in a competition that simulates high-stakes national and international cybersecurity crises. 

"Through our Cybersecurity Club, students regularly sharpen their technical skills in a collaborative environment where they are also able to network with their peers and professionals in the cybersecurity industry," said Eric Lopez, director of IT Security, adjunct faculty member in cybersecurity and faculty advisor to the club. "However, the Cyber 9/12 competition takes them a step further. It puts them in the role of national decision-makers, balancing law, policy, communication and risk in real time. That experience turns talented technologists into well-rounded cybersecurity leaders, which is exactly what the workforce needs today." 

Now in its 15th year globally, the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge engages more than 1,000 students annually and has expanded to include regional competitions across the United States and internationally. Since first participating in 2022, Seton Hall students have consistently demonstrated their ability to compete alongside top universities and military academies, advancing in prior years and earning recognition for their strategic policy analysis. 

Seton Hall students have built a strong track record in the competition in recent years. In the 2024 competition, the team earned a top 16 finish in the global challenge, advancing to the semifinals and gaining recognition for its strategic United Nations advisory report. In the 2025 competition, students again competed in the Washington, D.C., edition of the event, continuing the University’s growing presence in the international cyber policy arena. As the 2026 team prepares for the upcoming competition, their participation further reflects Seton Hall’s sustained commitment to preparing students not only to understand complex cyber threats, but to lead in shaping effective, responsible responses at the highest levels of decision-making. 

Categories: Science and Technology