Strayer University, a higher learning institution for working adults that offers flexible and affordable degree programs, has announced that it has placed sixth in the National Security Agency’s (NSA) Codebreaker Challenge. This achievement marks the second consecutive year that Strayer University has ranked in the top 10 of participating schools in the competition.

The NSA Codebreaker Challenge is an annual competition that allows students from various US-based academic institutions to compete in unique mission-oriented scenarios. The competition is designed to improve students’ reverse-engineering and code analysis skills applicable to real-world contexts. Skills developed through the competition strengthen students’ ability to fight malware, advanced persistent threats, and similar malicious cyber activities.

"We are proud of all the participating Strayer students’ contributions to achieving this top 10 finish. Their performance is a testament to the quality of Strayer’s programs which provide students with relevant educational opportunities,” said Andréa Backman, President at Strayer University. “I look forward to continuing to support our students as they develop these skills and congratulate them in this outstanding accomplishment.”

This year’s scenario required students to provide technical assistance to the US Coast Guard and investigate an unknown object producing an unidentified signal near US waters. The request asked students to complete 9 different tasks which showcased the complex technical and analysis problems solved by NSA members daily.

“Participating in this year's NSA Codebreaker Challenge has been both challenging and immensely rewarding,” said Shaelyn Britney, student in Strayer University’s Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program. “Despite heightened difficulty levels, I found myself acquiring invaluable skills and knowledge crucial for my future endeavors.”

This year’s NSA Codebreaker Challenge ran from September 28, 2023 to January 11, 2024 and included 450 institutions. Schools were ranked according to the total number of points accumulated by their students.

To learn more about Strayer University, visit https://www.strayer.edu/ or follow @StrayerU on Twitter.

About Strayer University

Founded in 1892, Strayer University is an institution of higher learning for working adult students. It offers flexible and affordable undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business administration (including the Jack Welch Management Institute MBA), accounting, information technology, education, health services, public administration and criminal justice, as well as non-degree web and mobile application development courses through Hackbright Academy and Devmountain. Strayer University is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), www.msche.org. Strayer University’s accreditation status is Accreditation Reaffirmed. MSCHE most recently reaffirmed Strayer University’s accreditation status in June 2017, with the next self-study evaluation scheduled for the 2025–2026 academic year. MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). For more information, visit http://www.strayer.edu.

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