The Siber Defense Club at Mount Si High School has a full weekend schedule ahead, hacking into computer systems and decrypting data. The group, an evolution of a computer club at Mount Si, is in its second year as an official club at the high school, focused on cybersecurity challenges.

Starting this afternoon, Team Alpha of the club will be working in the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital main conference room, in competition with more than 10,000 students on on 1,800 teams in Round 1 of the U.S. Air Force Association Cyber Patriot challenge. Their scores will be averaged with scores from Round 2, in early December, to determine their placement and possible advancement to state, regional and national competitions.

Tomorrow, the group returns to the hospital conference room for an international Capture the Flag challenge, sponsored by a university in Siberia, Russia. From 11 p.m. Saturday, through 5 a.m. Sunday (including the time change for the end of Daylight Savings Time) the team will compete with schools and students from around the world. Last year, the team placed 13th overall and came in first of all U.S. teams competing.

Finally, Sunday afternoon, Team Bravo from the club will take its turn competing in Round 1 of the Cyber Patriot Challenge, noon to 7 p.m. at the hospital conference room.

Community members are welcome to stop by the hospital this weekend to see the teams at work.