SANS.edu Sentinels Earn Second Place in NSA’s 2025 Codebreaker Challenge

The SANS Technology Institute (SANS.edu) is proud to announce that the SANS.edu Sentinels earned second place in the Division I category of the National Security Agency’s 2025 Codebreaker Challenge, one of the nation’s most rigorous and respected collegiate cybersecurity competitions.

“This achievement reflects the depth of talent, discipline, and real-world readiness of our students,” said Ed Skoudis, President of the SANS Technology Institute. “The NSA Codebreaker Challenge is intentionally demanding, and placing second at the Division I level underscores the strength of our hands-on approach to cybersecurity education.”

The NSA Codebreaker Challenge is an annual, hands-on cybersecurity exercise that simulates real-world national security and cyber defense scenarios. Participants are tasked with solving complex technical challenges involving reverse engineering, network analysis, cryptography, and threat investigation, mirroring the skills required in professional cybersecurity roles. The NSA Codebreaker Challenge Team congratulated president Ed Skoudis on the Sentinel’s success, praising the “strong technical abilities by your students in all of these areas.”

The eight SANS.edu students successfully completed the full challenge were Michal Belzak, Tomi Bodwell, Andrew Effenhauser, Eric Frank, Markus Leding, Tejas Luthra, Edward Susalla, and Zackery Tafoya.

Andrew Effenhauser, a student in the cybersecurity bachelor’s degree program, completed the entire challenge in under four days, and Edward Susalla, a student in the Purple Team Operations Graduate Certificate program, completed the challenge in just over a week, exceptional accomplishments given the scope and difficulty of the competition.

About the SANS Technology Institute

The SANS Technology Institute, America's premier college for cybersecurity, delivers distinguished career-focused undergraduate and graduate programs, characterized by a world-class faculty of highly skilled information security practitioners, hands-on cybersecurity courses regularly updated for real-world relevance, and industry-recognized GIAC certifications earned within each program. SANS.edu offers innovative online and in-person course delivery options, including 100% online options for all its programs. Master's degree students at SANS.edu conduct leading-edge cybersecurity research, enhancing the state of the art in information security practices. The college also houses the Internet Storm Center, the world's leading global cyber threat detection network, where bachelor's degree students gain hands-on experience as Apprentice Handlers.

The SANS Technology Institute's emphasis on real-world skills, mentorship, and cutting-edge curriculum ensures graduates are equipped to defend against today's evolving cyber threats.

For more information about SANS Technology Institute and its programs, visit sans.edu.