Dinah Lugard, prominent cybersecurity expert and recent winner of Hackathon 2024 was faced with a hurdle during Global Cybersecurity Summit’s HACKfest 2024 in California.
Gatekeepers News reports that though unintentional, Dinah was called before the summit’s disciplinary committee for failing to follow specific instructions during the competition’s preliminary stages.
The Nigerian cyber security expert who represented Africa on the international stage was initially at risk of disqualification.
Speaking on the incident, Dinah said, “It wasn’t deliberate. I misunderstood the
instructions, and by the time I realized it, the damage had been done. They felt strongly about it and said I should be disqualified.”
The panel however later decided to allow Dinah to continue in the competition due to her achievements, but penalised her by deducting 30 points from her overall score as a penalty, thereby affecting her chances of winning.
The young tech innovator added, “I’m disappointed, of course, but I respect their decision. Rules are in place for a reason, and while I didn’t intentionally break them, I’ll take this as a learning experience. I’m still proud of the work I’ve done and the progress I’ve made in my career,” Dinah remarked, showing her commitment to professionalism and growth.”
The dedicated cybersecurity expert added “I may not be in the top running now, but this won’t stop me from pursuing my passion for cybersecurity. There’s always more to learn, and I’m committed to making a difference in this field.”
Dinah had earlier in May, represented Nigeria in Hackathon 2024, hosted by Pydon Global, and won against over 100 participants from across Africa vied in the preliminary rounds.
She competed against two other finalists from Tanzania and Senegal for the coveted prize with a remarkable score of 2277 Points.
The virtual event began in April and was concluded on May 2nd, 2024.
The ethical hacker was also recognised for delivering the best presentation.
She was awarded a $5000 cash prize and a scholarship for Artificial Intelligence studies at Harvard University.
