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At the most recent , Ronald "Ronnie" Scarpa M.S. finished first in the Solo bracket of the Capture The Flag (CTF) competition. It was the second consecutive year that he placed first in the solo competition, after taking first in 2023 in the team division, highlighting the University of New Haven’s strong cybersecurity program.

BSidesCT is a community-run Connecticut cybersecurity conference featuring talks, workshops, and hands-on events. The conference drew hundreds of attendees, including many cybersecurity professionals, which made the CTF highly competitive. The event brings together students, practitioners, and researchers for practical challenges and knowledge sharing, and the CTF remains one of its most active highlights.

Scarpa is a professional cybersecurity researcher who focuses on offensive operations, reverse engineering, and obfuscation. He is pursuing an M.S. in Cybersecurity (concentration in AI/ML).

As president of the University’s hacking club, Scarpa encouraged strong student participation and helped bring nearly 15 students from the program to the conference, reinforcing the University’s strong presence at the event.

The CTF also showcased the emerging talent following in Scarpa’s footsteps.

Cole Clark ’29, cybersecurity major and a hacking club member, placed third in the solo bracket in his first in-person CTF, a noteworthy accomplishment for a newcomer. Together, these results reflect both individual talent and the depth of training and mentorship available through the University of New Haven’s cybersecurity community.

Students at the University of New Haven also organize their own CTF event, CTF@CIT, a large annual Capture The Flag run by the Connecticut Institute of Technology and the Hacking Club.

This student-led event gives participants concentrated hands-on experience through a range of challenges and with organizing and mentoring peers. The practical exposure from CTF@CIT helps future students build cybersecurity skills and competition experience, preparing students for success in both cybersecurity competitions and real-world roles.