From 7 - 11 April 2025, I had an incredible opportunity to attend the Cyber Security and Robotics Work Experience Program organised by the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) in Canberra. This five-day workshop welcomed 16 selected high school students from various states, including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia. The program offered us a chance to experience different roles within the ASD organisation, which focused on investigating foreign signals intelligence, enhancing cybersecurity and conducting offensive cyber operations to defend Australia's interests and advance its national goals.
Throughout the program, the other students and I were tasked with investigating a malware infection from a phishing email sent to the fictional Director of the Department of Chicken and Ducks (DCD) and finding the perpetrator's location and details using multiple cybersecurity skillsets utilised by different teams within the ASD organisation.
During each day of the workshop, we were mentored by various members of the ASD department, who taught us specialised topics and skills in cybersecurity. We covered areas such as static and dynamic analysis, de-obfuscation, forensic analysis, open-source intelligence analysis, and the process of building and programming a robot using Arduino IDLE.
Additionally, we learned techniques for deciphering malicious executable files hidden within PDF documents, brute-forcing and unlocking the credentials of the identified perpetrator, tracking down their approximate location, and deploying a spy bot to disable their door alarm system, allowing us to infiltrate their hideout successfully. With the support of our mentors, our teamwork, and the application of our new skills, we uncovered the perpetrator and eliminated the malicious executable from the DCD's email system.
On the final day, we presented our findings, along with step-by-step instructions, to an audience of parents and ASD department members. I had a truly memorable and worthwhile experience that has inspired me to consider a career in cybersecurity and potentially contribute to Australia's cyber safety through the ASD organisation. I highly recommend that students apply for this program to gain practical experience in solving real-world cybersecurity problems and acquire valuable field skills.
Marion Khoo
Year 12 Student