Contest Information

about contest

The FISSEA Awareness and Training Contest provides the opportunity to showcase awareness and training items used as a part of cybersecurity programs in federal government departments and agencies. The contest consists of eight categories from FISSEA’s key areas of Awareness and Training. FISSEA Contest entries are judged by a panel of FISSEA Committee members and the People’s Choice Award is voted on by the public via an online poll.

A panel of FISSEA Committee members score entry categories using the following criteria:

• Identification – The description of the entry provides adequate detail
• Accuracy of Information - Information contained in the entry is correct
• Originality - Content is innovative and illustrates out-of-the box thinking
• Security Message - The security concept is succinct
• Graphic Concept - Quality of graphics (appropriateness and clarity)

The People’s Choice Award process is conducted via an online poll. Winners are selected based on popular vote by the public.

There will be two winners for each category listed below – one winner as selected by the FISSEA Committee panel and one People’s Choice award winner.

Contest Categories

1. Awareness Poster 
2. Awareness Website
3. Awareness Newsletter
4. Awareness Video - (please limit to 5 minutes or less)
5. Cybersecurity Blog
6. Cybersecurity Podcast
7. Training Awareness
8. Innovative Solutions – A cutting-edge solution to help solve current cybersecurity training and awareness challenges that does not fit into the other categories.  We are looking for solutions like Zoom backgrounds, trinkets and other items created during the pandemic or while working from alternate locations that had a positive impact on your organization.

Rules and Guidelines:

The contest includes eight categories from FISSEA’s key areas of Awareness and Training. Each category of the competition will be judged separately.

1. RULES

a. Only one entry will be accepted for each category. An organization may submit an entry for each of the eight categories.

b. Entries must have a security theme and be part of the organization's current security awareness and training programs that are used in federal environments. All entries must be original and unclassified.

c. A completed Contest Entry Form must be submitted with each entry. Form submission indicates approval for the FISSEA Committee to publicly share submitted content.

d. Entries must be submitted as public links .PDF and PowerPoint formats are acceptable if a public link is not available (click here to see examples of how past winners explained the interactive and multimedia portions of their entries within the slides). A maximum of 10 pages or slides should be e-mailed to fissea-contest [at] nist.gov. The 10 page/slide maximum should be a representative selection of your exercise/course. An exception: if your video or website (or blog) is accessible to the public and a link to the content can be provided, you may provide a link in your application form in lieu of a PDF or PowerPoint file. Podcasts can be sent as a link or in MP3 or MP4 formats.

e. Any item not adhering to the rules and entry guidelines will be ineligible.

2. GUIDELINES

a. A panel of FISSEA Committee members will judge the contest. Judges will not be affiliated with teams that submit entries. The panel will represent a diverse set of reviewers from Government, Academia, and Industry. The panel will evaluate each category on the basis of identification, accuracy of information, originality, security message, and creativity.

b. Winners in each category will be announced at the FISSEA Fall Forum on November 15, 2022. A certificate signed by the FISSEA Chairperson will be awarded to each winner. 

Contest Entry Form

FISSEA Contest Coordinator