SheHacksSurrey: Women in Cyber Hackathon: Defending the Future

SheHacksSurrey: Women in Cyber Hackathon: Defending the Future is a one‑day immersive event designed to inspire, inform and empower women. This event is in collaboration with Surrey Cyber Security Cluster (SCSC), CyberWomen Groups C.I.C. (CWG), Women in Cyber Unlimited, the University of Surrey, the Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), and Biterra. We are hosting 2 panel discussions in the morning, covering, employability and careers, and skills pathways and opportunities in cyber. In the afternoon, participants will take part in a hackathon hosted by Biterra. There are three challenges we want you to solve: 1. Many Surrey SMEs lack mature cyber defences and are vulnerable to everyday threats. Challenge: Develop an SME toolkit 2. Connected devices (smart sensors, cameras, home hubs) are part of our lives but often insecure. More people are working remotely from home. Challenge: Design an automated audit tool suitable for home and small business environments that highlights vulnerabilities and suggests fixes. 3. Emerging technologies (AI-assisted attacks, quantum threats) are reshaping cybersecurity. Challenge: Explore how organisations in Surrey could defend against future-facing threats, by suggesting concepts for quantum-resistant algorithms, AI anomaly detectors, or ethical AI attack/defence tools.