Pupils at an all-girls school are taking on a week-long online competition to unravel the world of cyber security.

Eden Girls School in Waltham Forest will be placed into teams to complete the Cyberfirst challenge set out by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Sessions designed by the NCSC aims to inspire future cyber security experts specifically for young women, just 11 per cent of the industry is female.

Shahina Ahmad, principal of Eden Girls’ School, said: “As cyber criminals become ever more sophisticated in their attempts to hack into computer systems, organisation need to step up their security to defend themselves.

“We have exceptionally talented girls at Eden Girls’ School, who by learning more about the skills needed to enter the cyber security industry may, in the future, be the experts who make our country the safest place to live and do business online.”

Since launching the challenges in 2016, 12,500 girls in schools across the UK have taken part, a whopping 300 per cent growth.

Students at Eden will face four categories to solve; cryptography, cyber security, logic and coding and networking.

Chris Ensor, NCSC deputy director for skills and growth, said: “Ensuring the inquisitive instincts of young people to find out how things work are maintained is hugely important.

“In the first two editions of the CyberFirst Girls competition we have seen how much entrants engage with the challenges we set and this year’s competition is due to be bigger and just as cryptic.”

As an added incentive by the NCSC, all the girls competing around 600 free places on specially commissioned four-day CyberFirst Defenders courses will be offered in April and May 2019.

Should Eden Girls School make the one of top 10 teams, they will head to the Grand Final in Edinburgh in March.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And we are off. Students have started the girls <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CyberFirst?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CyberFirst</a> challenge today. Lots of excitement in the room.<a href="https://twitter.com/GCHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GCHQ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NCSC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NCSC</a> <a href="https://t.co/90qBAv2eoZ">pic.twitter.com/90qBAv2eoZ</a></p>— Eden Girls' School, Waltham Forest (@edengirlsWF) <a href="https://twitter.com/edengirlsWF/status/1087344997421236224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Year 8 pupil Somaya Akhtar, described saying: “It’s been really fun taking part in the CyberFirst challenge for girls.

“I’d never really thought of a career in cyber security before but it’s great that there are job opportunities out there in such an interesting and varied role that are actively seeking female recruits.”

For further information regarding the CyberFirst Girls competition, visit: cyberfirst.ncsc.gov.uk/.