Formed in 2003 as a small local competition by the students of Professor Nasir Memon, co-founder of NYU Tandon’s cybersecurity program, CSAW is now hosted by 5 global academic centers with multiple cyber competitions that continuously evolve to meet the changing threat landscape. According to Ramesh Karri, the director of CSAW and co-founder of the NYU Center for Cybersecurity, “CSAW continues to evolve to keep pace with advancing technologies such as additive manufacturing, machine learning, and cloud-based AI. With each technological advancement, the threat landscape expands.” CSAW plays a crucial role in helping defenders stay updated with these changes, contributing to the development of awareness, proficiency, and innovation in the field of cybersecurity.

Celebrating its 23rd year, CSAW has become the largest student-run event of its kind. It attracts the brightest students from around the world, ranging from high school to doctoral candidates, who participate in various distinct cybersecurity challenges.