GOHack23: GObugfree and the Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences team up to power cybersecurity in Switzerland

Zurich, 18.7.2023 – GObugfree and the Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences (FFHS) are proud to announce GOHack23, a unique cybersecurity event bringing together a symposium, live bug bounty hunting, and education. The event will kick off on November 30 and will run through December 2, 2023. The Swiss Army is supporting the event as a partner.

At the symposium on November 30, well-known speakers from politics, academia and business will discuss the interplay of artificial and human intelligence and the implications for the cyber world. Following the symposium, there will be a live Bug Bounty Challenge on December 1 and 2. Ethical hackers and IT security experts will work together, hunting for bugs in challenges set by our program partners. Everyone with an interest in ethical hacking will have the opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at a real hack. In parallel, an Educational Track offers talks and demos on topics pertaining to ethical hacking and IT Security. The Swiss Army will also be there, showing their support as a partner and joining in on the symposium.

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Ethical Hackers: The future of cybersecurity

Ethical hackers are set to play an increasingly vital role in cybersecurity. They're the guardians of the digital realm, identifying and neutralizing unknown vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by potential attackers. In the IT sector in particular, however, there is a lack of talent and skilled professionals who can take on this crucial role. To bridge this gap, the Educational Track at GOHack23 provides first-hand insights to everyone, regardless of their experience. This platform is perfect for new IT talents and beginners to learn about ethical hacking and bug bounty and to be drawn into the exciting world of IT security. "With GOHack23, we aim to build a bridge connecting enthusiastic ethical hackers with businesses, reinforcing security in the digital world," says Christina Kistler, Chief Commercial Officer of GObugfree.

A partnership committed to bolstering cybersecurity

With a mission to make ethical hacking and cybersecurity accessible, GObugfree and FFHS have partnered. Along with the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), FFHS is the second institution to partner with GObugfree to facilitate bug bounty education programs for ethical hacking at colleges and universities. "Through innovative EDU programs with partners like FFHS, we are preparing the next generation of cybersecurity talent," explains Christina Kistler. Students can gain hands-on experience in detecting and fixing security vulnerabilities by hacking their own college or university and searching for "bugs" as part of their studies. To improve the availability of cybersecurity specialists, FFHS, with the support of the Swiss Armed Forces and GObugfree, will also offer a BSc in Cybersecurity starting in August 2023.

Cultivating Young IT Talent to Meet Cybersecurity Challenges

"The shortage of skilled workers in the cybersecurity industry is a challenge we have to face. Our partnership with GObugfree and the staging of the GOHack23 event are a clear signal: we are investing in talent development and helping to train the urgently needed cybersecurity experts in Switzerland," Oliver Ittig, head of the new BSc Cyber Security program at FFHS, clearly emphasizes. Switzerland is not spared from cyber attacks either and new incidents are reported almost daily. Companies can help GObugfree and the FFHS contribute to solving the problem and at the same time better protect themselves from cyber attacks by sponsoring GOHack23. Sponsors can have their systems tested by Ethical Hackers as part of the Live Bug Bounty Challenge or get involved in promoting new IT talent as part of the Education Track. With BDO Switzerland, Threema, the IT company Cyllective and Zweifel, four well-known sponsors have already been secured for GOHack23.