Metron Security buzzed with energy that morning. Coffee cups in hand, laptops at the ready - one by one, brilliant minds filled our office space on February 22nd at 10 AM sharp for the SOC + AI Code Jam. The mix was incredible: developers hoping to push code to new limits, AI enthusiasts ready to revolutionize security, and cybersecurity pros eager to bring their field expertise to life through code.

Let's be real - this wasn't about who could type the fastest or who knew the most programming languages. Each participant brought their own secret sauce to the table: security analysts who could spot threats from a mile away, AI enthusiasts with a knack for innovation, and developers who could make magic happen with code. Working solo, but surrounded by equally passionate peers - now that's the kind of pressure that brings out the best in people!

If you weren't there to witness the coding magic firsthand, don't kick yourself just yet. The incredible solutions we saw that day proved that when it comes to mixing AI with security, we're just getting warmed up. Stay tuned - Metron Security has more exciting events cooking up where you can show off your skills and maybe surprise yourself with what you can create.

Now, let’s take a sneak peek into the event!

Event Details

Date: 16th January 2025
Organizer: Metron Security

This Metron Code Jam wasn’t just another coding event—it was a deep dive into the core challenges of a Security Operations Center (SOC). Participants had the opportunity to work hands-on with real-world cybersecurity problems, applying AI-driven solutions to make security operations more efficient, automated, and intelligent.

From integrating security logs across multiple platforms to enhancing data annotation for AI training, the event was a sandbox for innovation. Participants engaged in building AI-powered tools that can optimize threat detection, streamline workflows, and enhance incident response capabilities. By the end of the day, they had not only sharpened and showcased their technical skills, but also contributed fresh perspectives to the future of AI-driven cybersecurity.

The Challenge: AI-Powered SOC

Participants could choose from four distinct problem statements, each addressing a critical aspect of next-generation security operations:

1. Connect Security Data
   

   This challenge focused on creating a unified security view by normalizing data from multiple sources. Participants needed to:

   • Pull logs from endpoints, cloud security platforms, and firewalls
   • Convert diverse data formats into a standardized schema
   • Create an event simulator generating OCSF-compliant security data
   • Enable output to both file storage and Elastic Index
2. Build a RAG Playground
   

   This challenge explored the power of Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) in security contexts. Participants developed:

   • A web application that converts natural language questions into Splunk queries
   • An intelligent system that enriches queries with relevant event details
   • An interface between user inputs and API responses
3. Level Up Data Annotation (Frontend)
   

   The frontend challenge focused on creating an intuitive interface for security data labeling:

   • A user-friendly web application for OCSF event labeling
   • Secure user authentication and login functionality
   • Detailed event and field annotation capabilities
   • Seamless integration with backend APIs
4. Data Annotation Backend & Threat Response
   

   This challenge combined backend development with automated threat response:

   • API server for OCSF event labeling
   • Database integration for storing annotated security data
   • User authentication and data validation
   • AI-powered workflows for threat detection and response

Event Highlights

The event kicked off with a warm welcome from our Director of Operations, Vikram, who set the stage for the competition. Our Chief Architect, Parag Patwardhan, then introduced the problem statements, providing insights into the evolving role of AI in security operations.

The brilliant minds got to work, navigating APIs, data pipelines, and machine-learning models. The energy in the room was undeniable, with ideas flying across the room, problem-solving in full swing, and real-time collaborations taking shape.

Pro Tips from the Experts

• Complete Solutions: Incomplete solutions are a big No! For any of the problem statements, participants who had a complete solution stood out as exceptional engineers. Some participants signed up for a Splunk Cloud trial to perform end-to-end testing of their solution, which was not part of the problem but definitely showed a can-do attitude.
• Copilots: We encourage participants to use code copilots or other GenAI tools in the CodeJam. Use these tools as a force multiplier, so you can cover more ground in your solution. Participants who simply put the problem statement directly into a copilot produced basic, surface-level solutions with little innovation. In contrast, those who thought critically iterated on AI-generated outputs, and combined AI with their expertise developed more robust, optimized, and creative solutions. The key is to use GenAI tools not as a replacement for problem-solving but as an amplifier of human ingenuity and technical skills.
• Craftsmanship: This is true not just for CodeJam, but for any software engineering work. Craftsmanship emphasizes not just working software, but well-crafted code that focuses on quality and professionalism. We evaluate through thorough code reviews, automated metrics, and performance benchmarks such as readability, proper naming conventions, and modular design, where a premium is placed on the ability to write clean, and high-performance code. Performance is crucial, with a focus on optimization and scalability.

The final hour saw participants scrambling to refine their demos, showcasing solutions that combined AI, automation, and security intelligence.

Solutions That Caught Our Judges' Attention

Participants showcased impressive technical skills, leveraging AI and cybersecurity tools to build innovative solutions. Some of them implemented a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system, creating an end-to-end pipeline to validate the generated queries from natural language.

One standout participant went beyond expectations by solving two problem statements and seamlessly integrating them, demonstrating both technical depth and a strategic approach to solution-building.

After hours of intense coding and deliberation by our expert judges, two outstanding participants emerged victorious.

Code Jam Feb 2025 Winners

🥇 Laxman G. – First Place
🥈 Pravinkumar P. – Second Place

What’s Next?

We’re not stopping here! Our next event will be on 20th March 2025, where we’ll take cybersecurity innovation to the next level. Stay tuned for more updates!

Save the Date:

Date of the Event: 20th March 2025
Location: WeWork, Baner, Pune
Last registration date: 18th March 2025

Let’s Do It Again!

Don’t miss out on the next challenge! Register by 18th March 2025 for a chance to innovate and shine in the world of cybersecurity.

Lastly, a huge shout out to all the participants, mentors, and the incredible Metron team for making this event a success. We can’t wait to connect with more of you at our next challenge!