2011 cybersecurity video/poster contest offers students $1,500

College students who create a great video or poster that promotes secure computing among their peers can win up to $1,500.

That's the top prize in the 2011 Information Security Awareness Poster & Video Contest, co-presented by Educause, a nonprofit that promotes the intelligent use of information technology to advance higher education. The best posters and videos will win $500 to $1,500 each--$6,000 in all, spread over six prizes.

Humor blended with serious messages scored well during the previous contest in 2009. The gold medal for training videos honored a video starring sage young Cybersecurity Sam. The silver went to a presentation of the 10 most common passwords--words too obvious to offer protection, like "123456," "letmein" and "password."

Winning entries are posted online. Sponsors CyberWatch, the National Cyber Security Alliance, and Chapman University invite campuses to use the material in their cybersecurity awareness campaigns. The UC Davis security website will highlight any winning videos submitted by UC Davis students.

Entries are due March 11, 2011. Find suggested topics and other details at the contest website.