Cyber Saturdays

Cyber Saturdays

Fall 2026 – Saturdays 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Newport Campus – Room - NE-257A – Cyber Range

Coach Phone E-mail
Joe Bransfield 808-778-6588 [email protected]
Anthony Hanos Google Chat [email protected]
Peter Yrchik-Shoemaker     Student Coach    [email protected]


Emailing

Use the addresses exactly as listed. Joe Bransfield's faculty address does not use my.ccri.edu; Peter Yrchik-Shoemaker's student-coach address does. Include NCL-Fall-2026 in the subject for a prompt response.

Cyber Saturday Description

Cyber Saturdays provides an ungraded environment where students learn, practice, compete, and work with other cybersecurity students using the CCRI Cyber Range. Fall 2026 is built around the National Cyber League (NCL), a virtual Capture-the-Flag-style competition. Because the program begins September 12, the first five Saturdays use a compressed NCL boot-camp format so students receive hands-on exposure to all nine NCL categories before the Practice Game begins on October 12. 

How Fall 2026 Cyber Saturdays Will Progress

  • Sept. 12 - Oct. 10: NCL meetings – Saturdays involve NCL skills, a primary hands-on lab, and direct Gymnasium practice.
  • Oct. 12 - Nov. 8: competition cycle - Practice Game, Individual Game, team preparation, and Team Game.
  • Nov. 14 - Dec. 5: post-NCL enrichment - wireless security, Scouting Report review, and next-step planning.

Training Outcomes

  • Build practical skills across all nine NCL categories: Open-Source Intelligence, Cryptography, Password Cracking, Log Analysis, Network Traffic Analysis, Scanning, Forensics, Enumeration and Exploitation, and Web Application Security.
  • Use common cybersecurity tools to collect evidence, analyze artifacts, validate findings, and solve CTF-style challenges.
  • Develop efficient individual competition habits: triage, note-taking, time management, answer validation, and controlled retrying.
  • Develop competition habits: category ownership, handoffs, shared notes, answer validation, and build discipline.
  • Use NCL results and the Scouting Report to identify strengths, weaknesses, and future training priorities. 

Standard Lab Environment

  • NCL / Cyber Skyline Gymnasium and competition platform.
  • CCRI Cyber Range systems and coach-designated lab targets.
  • Student laptop when possible; Cyber Range computers are available on site.
  • Browser plus tools introduced as needed, including CyberChef, Wireshark, Nmap, Burp Suite Community Edition, Hashcat, John the Ripper, and approved Linux command-line tools.
  • All scanning, exploitation, password cracking, wireless testing, and similar activity is limited to designated NCL targets, coach-provided systems, or authorized CCRI Cyber Range equipment. 

Required Textbook, Accounts, and Materials

  • No textbook is required.
  • Students must maintain access to their NCL / Cyber Skyline credentials. External training accounts are created only when needed for a current lab.
  • Coaches will coordinate NCL registration and CCRI team enrollment. High-school teams will be handled separately.
  • CCRI funding assistance may be available. Students seeking assistance should speak with a coach before paying the NCL registration fee. 

Fall 2026 NCL Season Dates 

  • Cyber Saturdays Start: September 12
  • Gymnasium: August 17 - December 11
  • Standard Registration: August 17 - October 9 ($45)
  • Late Registration: October 10 - October 13 ($55)
  • Practice Game: October 12 - October 18
  • Individual Game: October 23 - October 25
  • Team Game: November 6 - Novemeber 8

Competition Conduct, Collaboration & AI

  • Professional conduct: Cyber Saturdays models a workplace and competition environment. Sportsmanship, respect, and ethical behavior are required.
  • Practice Game: Use the event to learn. Collaboration and coaching are permitted only within the current NCL rules.
  • Individual Game: students work independently from the start of the game through the end. No coach, teammate, classmate, or outside person may assist with solving challenges.
  • Team Game: collaboration is limited to members of the registered team. Coaches may not assist with solving challenges once the game begins.
  • NCL content: do not post NCL questions, artifacts, answers, flags, or solution write-ups online during or after the season.
  • AI: NCL permits AI assistance within its current limits, but an AI tool or agent may never connect directly to the competition platform or NCL targets on the player's behalf. Students are responsible for verifying AI output and following the current NCL model, cost, compute, and resource restrictions.
  • The current NCL Rules of Conduct take precedence if any rule changes during the season.

NCL Rules of Conduct - Updated August 2026   |   NCL Competition Manual 

Fall 2026 Weekly Training Plan

Each Saturday combines topics, hands-on practice, and current resources. The NCL Gymnasium remains the competition anchor; coaches may substitute equivalent current labs as needed. 

Week 1 - Saturday, Sept. 12 | NCL Kickoff + Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)

Topics & Objectives

  • NCL season overview and practical OSINT research/search techniques / Verify findings using multiple reliable sources and approved tools.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • OSINT practice using current Search Skills, NCL Gymnasium, and/or an equivalent lab.

Recommended Resources

Week 2 - Saturday, Sept. 19 | Cryptography + Password Cracking

Topics & Objectives

  • Encoding, encryption, hashing, and common transformations.
  • Password-hash identification and cracking with CyberChef, Hashcat, or John.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • CryptoHock/CyberChef practice plus coach-provided hash and NCL challenges.

Recommended Resources

Week 3 - Saturday, Sept. 26 | Forensics + Log Analysis

Topics & Objectives

  • File/disk triage and common forensic artifacts / Fast log filtering and basic timeline reconstruction.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • CyberDefenders or CCRI forensic/log challenges plus NCL Gymnasium practice.

Recommended Resources

Week 4 - Saturday, Oct. 3 | Network Traffic Analysis + Scanning & Reconnaissance

Topics & Objectives

  • PCAP analysis with Wireshark / Authorized Nmap scanning and service identification.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • PCAP analysis and scanning of coach-designated lab targets.

Recommended Resources

Week 5 - Saturday, Oct. 10 | Enumeration & Exploitation + Web Application Security

Topics & Objectives

  • Service enumeration and selecting appropriate follow-on techniques / Common web weaknesses: authentication, SQLi, path traversal, command injection, and exposed content.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • Coach-designated enumeration plus selected PortSwigger and NCL web challenges.

Recommended Resources

Week 6 - Saturday, Oct. 17 | NCL Practice Game Work Session & Skills Clinic

Topics & Objectives

  • Practice challenge triage, category switching, and time management / Identify weak categories before the Individual Game.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • Work current NCL Practice Game challenges with permitted coaching and collaboration.

Week 7 - Saturday, Oct. 24 | NCL Individual Game - Competition Session

Topics & Objectives

  • Compete independently under current NCL rules / Use disciplined triage, time management, and answer validation.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • Cyber Range competition session; coaches provide administrative/facility support only.

Week 8 - Saturday, Oct. 31 | Team Game Prep - Roles, Strategy & Targeted Refresh

Topics & Objectives

  • Team roles, secondary coverage, and answer-submission discipline / Fast handoffs, shared notes, and answer validation.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • Mock Team Game practice and targeted category refresh.

Week 9 - Saturday, Nov. 7 | NCL Team Game - Competition Session

Topics & Objectives

  • Execute the team workflow established on Oct. 31 / Communicate clearly, hand off stalled challenges, and validate submissions.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • Compete in the official NCL Team Game with registered team members only.

Week 10 - Saturday, Nov. 14 | Post-Game Analysis + Wireless Security Enrichment

Topics & Objectives

  • Review competition performance by category / Apply traffic, authentication, and password skills in an authorized wireless lab.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • Authorized CCRI wireless-range practice and defensive discussion.

Recommended Resources

Week 11 - Saturday, Nov. 21 | Advanced Topics & Integrated Cyber Range Scenario

Topics & Objectives

  • Apply multiple NCL skills in one investigation / Practice independent investigation, evidence collection, and handoffs.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • Coach-built integrated Cyber Range scenario; advanced work may include reverse engineering or binary analysis.

Recommended Resources

Saturday, Nov. 28 | Thanksgiving Recess - No Cyber Saturday Meeting

CCRI holiday closure / no scheduled meeting. NCL Gymnasium remains open through Dec. 11.

Week 12 - Saturday, Dec. 5 | Results, Awards, Scouting Report Review & Next Steps

Topics & Objectives

  • Review category results and Scouting Report data / Set priorities for the next training cycle.

In-Class Training & Lab

  • Results, awards, skills review, and next-cycle planning.

Important Notes

  • Official NCL dates, prices, rules, and platform requirements may change. Current NCL information takes precedence over this syllabus.
  • Training-platform challenge names, access levels, and availability can change. Coaches may substitute an equivalent current lab while preserving the weekly skill objective.
  • Cyber Range access, room availability, and holiday closures are subject to CCRI campus operations.
  • This syllabus intentionally uses a compressed September/October boot camp because the Fall 2026 Cyber Saturdays program begins September 12, only one month before the NCL Practice Game.
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