Ever thought of yourself as the next James Bond or Jason Bourne? Now you’ve got a real chance to prove yourself. The GCHQ – Government Communications Headquarters – in England is opening up its doors to applicants who can successfully complete an online game.
The game, which has been advertised through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, has a serious edge. It features a grid of numbers and letters arranged in a crackable code. Figure it out and you’ll find a keyword to enter, and once that’s done you’ll be eligible to apply for one of 35 spy jobs that are currently on offer. Then, who knows; you could be on your way to being a real government agent.
“Traditionally, cyber specialists enter the organisation as graduates,” says the GCHQ. “However, with the threats to information and computer technology constantly evolving, it is essential that GCHQ allows candidates who may be self taught, but have a keen interest in code breaking and ethical hacking, to enter the recruitment route too.”
The code is available to play up until the 12th of December, although some online communities boast of hackers who’s already solved it. It seems as though the UK government wants to tool up with the best from the web; there are reportedly 600 malicious attacks on the UK’s cyber infrastructure every single day. The GCHQ says: “Code cracking skills are vital to secure the very best talent and to support the GCHQ mission in its fight against cyber threats.” Let us know your thoughts on our comments below or via our @Gadget_Helpline Twitter page or Official Facebook group.