A Family-Inspired Cyber Journey: My Growth in the National Cyber League and Goals for 2025
- Hector Acosta
- Dec 20, 2024
- 6 min read
Que tal, familia!
¡Bienvenidos! Welcome to my journey in the National Cyber League (NCL)—a rollercoaster of learning, growth, and un poquito de pasión for cybersecurity. Competing in NCL is more than just scoring points; it's about pushing limits, embracing challenges, and bringing a little of my cultura to the cyber battlefield. From Spring 2024 to Fall 2024, I’ve seen wins, struggles, and 'aha' moments that have fueled my passion even further. Y no planeo detenerme aquí. I'm aiming for top 300 individually and top 50 with my team in 2025, ¡y vamos con todo!
Family and Inspiration
My journey in cybersecurity isn’t just about me; it’s also deeply inspired by my daughters. Both of my oldest girls are dual-enrolled in high school and college, studying Computer Science, and they’re already pushing for success with such drive and commitment. Seeing their dedication at such a young age inspired me to dive into this field myself. They even tune in sometimes to my Cyber Club meetings and know my teammates’ voices by name—just from hearing them speak! Their passion and encouragement keep me motivated and remind me why I’m on this journey. Also, the conversation with my co-worker Guillermo A. Zuniga really opened my eyes and also inspired me to explore this further. His insights sparked something in me, making me realize there's so much more to learn and accomplish. Sometimes, a simple chat can lead to a breakthrough, and I'm grateful for the fresh perspective Guillermo shared—it’s set me on an exciting new path of discovery.
Juggling Life, Family, and Faith
First I thank God For everything, as well as my wife and kids, because they’re my biggest supporters, cheering me on in each competition and late-night study session. Along with a full-time job, I also have the honor of leading and teaching in my Christian community, which keeps me grounded and connected. Balancing family, faith, work, and NCL competitions hasn’t always been easy, but it’s made me even more determined. These roles remind me that every part of my life plays a part in my journey—this adventure in cybersecurity included.
When the email came inviting me to join the NCL competition, it felt like the start of a suspense story. I thought, let’s try—¿qué puede suceder? I was just learning. But then, I met the team for the first time, and with the professors guiding us—créanmelo, this was a whole new world. I thought to myself, ¿En qué me metí? ¿Qué diantre es esto? But I kept showing up to the weekly meetings. And believe me, I was lost—perdido bien brutal! When my first individual game came, ¡Ay Señor! I didn’t even know where to start. But that’s when my sangre Boricua kicked in, and I told myself, “I got this!” I won’t lie—I used some hints, which cost me points, AHHH, but that was okay.
Then came my first team games. Oh nooooo! Making the wrong choice was bad enough, but now my mistakes could affect the team! Whatttt? I didn’t know much yet, but they put me in password cracking. And let me tell you, I felt like the Puerto Rican Hugh Jackman in Swordfish! La gorra pa' tras, and I was ready to crack some passwords. I managed some of the easy and medium ones, but the last medium and hard challenges? No se crean! I got stuck, but I didn’t give up. I helped out in other domains where I could, and with leaders like Zachary Clergé and Tatiana Vital, everything felt smooth. Plus, the rest of the team, including Samantha and Kelly, was there to keep things going strong. So, guess what happened after that? Yup, me motivé a seguir! Let’s go—I wanted more! With more practice and weekly meetings with the team, this is where I am now, y no voy a parar pa'na!
Individual Progress: Spring 2024 vs. Fall 2024
In Spring, I placed 1249th out of 7412 participants (top 16.9%), scoring 1150 points out of 3000 with 70.0% accuracy and a 48.1% completion rate. It was a good start, but I knew I could improve. By Fall 2024, I moved up to 762nd out of 8482 participants (top 9%), with 1800 points out of 3000, 76.5% accuracy, and a 72.2% completion rate. This improvement showed how far I’d come in a few months, and it made me hungry for more.
Team Progress and Mentors Along the Way
In Spring 2024, our team ranked 262nd out of 4199 teams (top 6.2%), scoring 1710 points out of 3000 with 79.2% accuracy and a 63.9% completion rate. This season laid the groundwork for my understanding of teamwork in NCL and showed me the importance of solid strategy and communication.
By Fall 2024, I was surprised to be given the chance to lead a team. It was only my second season, and I was grateful that my coach, Professor Zeng, and Matthew, the leader of the DeVry Cyber Club, trusted me with this role. I was also thankful for the trust my team had in me, including Kevin, who had more experience. Most of us were in our first or second season, which made the experience even more meaningful because we were all learning and growing together. And with just six team members, we had to make every effort count.
Our Fall team, '0xABAD1DEA', finished 176th out of 4897 teams (top 3.6%), with 2270 points out of 3100, 68.9% accuracy, and an impressive 86.1% completion rate. We had a strong start on Friday, making significant progress that got us well under the top 100 at times. This gave us a huge boost and set us up to focus on medium and hard challenges for the rest of the weekend. Saturday was productive, but Sunday was when things clicked. The communication was flowing back and forth between us, and we took on challenges as a team, coordinating and strategizing together. That teamwork was one of the best experiences I’ve had at NCL.
A big shout-out to my teammates: Randy, Andre Thompson, Samantha Kemble, Kevin Foxen, and Kelly Guansing. Each of them brought something unique to the team, and we pushed each other to do our best. Randy and Andre jumped in to tackle Password Cracking and Cryptography, Samantha brought her skills to Open Source Intelligence, Kevin covered Scanning and Reconnaissance, and Kelly took on Enumeration. Working together like this, especially when things got intense, made all the difference. We attacked challenges together, and I could feel the energy and commitment from each of them.
One person who helped me become a better leader is Matthew, the captain of the DeVry Cyber Club. Matthew has been a great mentor, teaching me how to use tools to solve challenges and sharing his knowledge openly with everyone. I call him “Captain” because he’s not just a leader but someone who lifts others.
I also have to thank Professor Zeng, Jingdi, our coach and Senior Professor at DeVry. She prepares us for each competition, keeps the DeVry Cyber Club running strong, and even invites other professors to join and support us. Her dedication to the club and each of us is a big reason for my success, and I know my teammates feel the same way.
Being part of DeVry University and especially the Cyber Club has been one of the best parts of this journey. They’ve become friends and mentors, people I can rely on and learn from.
Looking Ahead: Goals for 2025
With the next individual competition coming up in April 2025, I have a few months to keep improving. Here are my goals for the season:
Individual Ranking in the Top 300: I want to keep pushing myself, especially in areas like Log Analysis, Web Application Exploitation, and Scanning & Reconnaissance. Each of these domains is crucial for higher scores, and I’m ready to tackle them head-on.
Top 50 Team Ranking: Whether I’m leading or just part of the team, I know our team has what it takes to reach the top 50. Estoy listo para lo que venga—my commitment to helping the team grow and achieve this goal remains strong.
Expanding Skills in Docker, Web App Exploitation, Python, SQL, and Programming: These are areas I’m focusing on deeply. By diving into Docker and programming languages like Python and SQL, I aim to tackle high-point challenges confidently and bring even more skills to the table.
Improving Leadership: I want to be a leader who fully supports my teammates, organizing more practice sessions and creating a team culture where everyone feels valued. 2025 will be a year to build on everything I’ve learned, and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish.
Let’s Connect and Learn Together!
Cybersecurity is all about community, resilience, and learning. If my journey resonates with you, let’s connect! Whether you're an NCL competitor, a cybersecurity enthusiast, or just curious about the field, I’d love to share strategies and insights. Thank you for following along on my NCL adventure. Here’s to new goals, personal growth, and the thrill of competition. ¡Nos vemos en la competencia!
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