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For the 11th consecutive year, the Cyber Security Challenge Belgium (CSCBE) has set new records in its mission to address the growing shortage of cybersecurity professionals.  For the 11th consecutive year, the Cyber Security Challenge Belgium (CSCBE) has set new records in its mission to address the growing shortage of cybersecurity professionals. This year’s edition saw over 1,000 students participating in the online qualifiers—a testament to the challenge’s enduring success and the increasing interest in cybersecurity among Belgian students. After an intense competition, VUBeest – with students from VUB and HELMo - emerged victorious, claiming the top spot in Belgium’s largest cybersecurity challenge.The digital threat landscape continues to evolve at an alarming pace, and the demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals remains higher than ever. When this challenge first started over a decade ago, it was driven by the industry's need to connect with and recruit talented students. The initiative quickly grew beyond a simple recruitment effort, becoming a vital platform for talent development. Today, that need is more pressing than ever, with businesses, governments, and critical infrastructure all relying on a robust cybersecurity workforce to mitigate threats and ensure digital resilience.“Cybersecurity is not just about technology—it’s about people, creativity, and diverse perspectives. Initiatives like the Cyber Security Challenge Belgium help us discover and support the next generation of cybersecurity experts, ensuring a strong and diverse workforce ready to tackle tomorrow’s threats. Detect more talents to protect better” says Phédra Clouner, Deputy Director General of the CCB.This year’s challenge, which culminated in a thrilling final last weekend, provided young talents with a unique opportunity to test and develop their cybersecurity skills. Organized by NVISO with the support of numerous partners, including the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB), CSCBE has become a key player in raising awareness and fostering the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.After an intense series of challenges, Team VUBeest from VUB and HELMo emerged victorious, demonstrating outstanding problem-solving skills, technical expertise, and teamwork. The winning team has secured prizes including a trip to the prestigious DEF CON hacker conference in Las Vegas and an exclusive SANS training course.With the national competition now concluded, the selection process for the Belgian Red Daemons—the national team that will represent Belgium in Warsaw at the European Cyber Security Challenge (ECSC) 2025—officially begins. The best performers from the CSCBE will have the opportunity to compete for a spot on the European stage against top talent from across the continent.Figures for CSCBE 20251,000+ students participated in the qualifying round30+ universities and graduate schools represented100 participants in the final20+ sponsors supporting the initiative Image The winners of the cyber security challenge Team VUBeest, Credits: Cyber Command- Defensie

The Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB) today announced the introduction of a compulsory cyber driving licence for all citizens seeking access to the internet. The measure is part of the new cyber strategy 2026-2030, which aims to Belgium one of the least vulnerable countries in Europe From 1 April 2026, internet users will have to pass an online test to demonstrate their basic cybersecurity knowledge. The cyber driving licence will be automatically linked to the national registry number and will be mandatory for accessing email services, social media and online banking.🐟Avoiding phishing victimsThe content of the cyber driving licence exam is based on the already existing learning pathways of the platform Surfing Without Worries, an initiative of the CCB in collaboration with the Cyber Security Coalition. Users are trained in essential digital skills, such as recognising phishing emails, using two-step verification (2FA) and avoiding common pitfalls online."Just as you need a driving licence to safely participate in traffic, it is important that everyone learns to assess the dangers of our digital traffic," said Miguel De Bruycker, director general of the CCB. "Unfortunately, too often we still see people unknowingly fall victim to phishing. With this driving licence, we want to tackle that in a positive, preventive way."Cyber driving licence by target 🎣There will be three types of cyber driving licences because each environment has risks and responsibilities.Type A: for private users for e.g. social media, e-mail, online shoppingType B: for entrepreneurs and self-employed with webshops or online customer managementType C: for public sector and IT professionalsA re-examination is possible up to three times a year and costs €123.45 each time. 🐟 Those who cannot present a valid cyber driving licence risk temporary restriction of internet access from periods up to 72h from 2027 and, if necessary, being placed under the supervision of a cyber guardian. 🎣Self-test available from todayBelgian citizens can prepare from today via the free self-test on https://surfwithoutworries.safeonweb.be/Those who pass will receive a provisional certificate pending official implementation. Disclaimer:This press release was published as an April Fool's joke on 1 April to raise awareness via www.safeonweb.be. The cyber driving licence does not exist, but the idea that we should all learn to deal better with digital dangers? There is something in that. Still wondering if you would pass your cyber driving test? Feel free to practise without obligation.  Image Image

On 18 February, we hosted an insightful 30-minute webinar on the importance of reporting cyberincidents to the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB). This session was designed for professionals who may not be cybersecurity experts but play a crucial role in protecting their organisations. Webinar recording, slides and Q&A available now!On 18 February, we hosted an insightful 30-minute webinar on the importance of reporting cyberincidents to the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB). This session was designed for professionals who may not be cybersecurity experts but play a crucial role in protecting their organisations.The webinar gave attendees insight on:How to report a cyberincident to the CCB and why it is essential.What happens after you notify us.How to respond when we contact you about a potential cyberincident.We’d like to share the recording of the webinar, the slides and the written Q&A session, providing practical, actionable insights to help you act swiftly and effectively in the event of a cyberattack:Recording webinar:  Handling a cyberattack? When should you notify CCB?Q&A :  Q&A Incident reporting Slides:  Cybertips Webinar: Incident reportingDon't miss this opportunity to boost your cybersecurity knowledge and safeguard your organisation!Future eventsThe CCB organises events regularly. You can already register for our future events.To stay informed of other upcoming events, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.