Hack The Box
[ the problem ]
Hack the Box (HTB) is an online gamified cybersecurity training and penetration testing platform. It gives individuals and corporate security teams the opportunity to safely practice real-world cyberattacks to learn how to defend against them. HTB replaces textbooks with competitive, hands-on labs and certifications that teach you exactly how cyberthreats operate
We were brought on to cover a partnership that HTB has with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of South Florida (USF). Faculty within the Computer Science and Engineering department utilize HTB to run practical, hands-on exams and homework assignments for cybersecurity students. Cybersecurity has become increasingly important over the past several decades, but keeping pace with the industry's rapid evolution is no easy task. Typically, courses take years to plan and develop. But, when it comes to cybersecurity, that would make all course materials extremely out of date. Byway of its partnership with HTB, USF provides students with training that evolves alongside the field. With modules updated nearly every week, students are continually learning the latest tools, techniques, and threats. Within just a few months of working through HTB's curriculum, many students develop a remarkable level of proficiency in cybersecurity.
Beyond the classes they bolster, HTB also helps strengthen and support CyberHerd, a sports-like type team that competes in cybersecurity competitions. This team competes in both defensive and offensive cybersecurity competitions, winning regional competitions. The skills practiced in CyberHerd using HTB directly influence students’ professional lives, too. The hands-on skills students develop through HTB's platform translate directly to their professional careers, making CyberHerd members highly sought after by employers. Much of the team's success (and the opportunities it creates for students) is made possible through its partnership with HTB.
[ our solution ]
In our film, we bring viewers directly into the classroom, using the camera to make them feel as though they are learning alongside the students. Our cameras sit in the classroom. They attend lectures, work through HTB modules, and engage with the curriculum, offering a firsthand look at how the HTB–USF partnership functions in practice. To complement these classroom scenes, we interviewed members of CyberHerd to provide the student perspective. Because they are the people most directly impacted by HTB, their experiences add authenticity and demonstrate how the platform shapes both their education and future careers.
We also wanted to show in our film that CyberHerd is more than a competitive cybersecurity team: it is a community. Through B-roll captured during practices and competitions, viewers see the friendship, fun, and excitement that characterizes the team. These moments communicate something interviews alone cannot: the sense of belonging and shared purpose that has grown from the partnership between HTB and USF.
Ultimately, in this film we highlight the importance on the surface of the HTB x USF collab, and then take it one step further to show you why that matters.
[ what we did ]
- Highlighted a unique collaboration
- Showed impact of HTB, both personally and professionally
- Went into the classroom and CyberHerd meetings
- Interviews with students and faculty
[ stills ]
[ cutdowns ]
