Summer Academy- The Global Guardian Term 1

Our world is full of modern wonders that use technology to enhance our lives in amazing ways. From healthcare technologies to communication methods, from vacationing to digital banking, more and more of our lives rely on digital information sharing; however, our increased reliance on these connected technologies also leads to increased opportunities for cyber-attacks that could cripple individual lives, whole companies, or even governments! The Global Guardian introduces you to the dynamic world of cyber-security and trains you on the foundations for creating a secure cyber space for us all and truly defending our modern digital way of life. Through this academy students will learn about the many ways criminals try to exploit vulnerabilities from identity theft, to phishing schemes, to denial of service attacks and more. Students will also learn the techniques cyber-security leaders use to thwart these attacks, and will have the chance to test their own skills at defending cyber-space in a digital capture-the-flag tournament. Concluding the academy, students will band together in cyber-security teams and be pitted against others in a timed challenge to see who can both defend their own cyber-vault and break into their opponents to capture their digital flag. Course requirements: This is a BASIS-CODING course. Although we will be using computers and you will learn some fundamentals of introductory coding, you are not expected to be fluent in any coding language. Having some experience coding with javascript, python, and HTML will be useful, but is not necessary. Because of this, students should also not expect to learn advanced coding methods through this course, but will rather learn the fundamentals of how cyber-security works, and some of the basic coding structures for the various types of hacks. Course Structure: Week one: Introductions to Cyber-Security – students will learn about the different types of vulnerabilities and be introduced to ways white-hat hackers try to protect against attacks. We will explore some of the largest attacks and learn how they worked and what happened because of them. Week two: Scenario defense – students will be guided through several scenarios to learn how cyber security professionals actually protect systems against attacks, and test their hands at a few examples themselves. Week three: Digital Capture the Flag Tournament – students will form cyber-defense teams where they will be introduced to a capture-the-flag style game in which teams will try to hack into each other’s systems to capture a digital flag. The academy will conclude with a capture-the-flag tournament with awards for the top teams. As our world becomes increasingly dependent on a connected infrastructure, our cyber-security is becoming an ever more prevalent concern. Every year we see new stories of major data breaches at companies and attacks on government servers. The need for skilled cyber security professionals has never been greater, and more and more students are being recruited to join the fight at all levels of society. Through this academy, students will get their first taste of what it’s like to be at the front-lines of the world’s largest conflict. The skills gained in this academy will position students for future careers at many levels of the cyber-security battle lines, and will introduce you to the fundamentals of coding and computer science required to thwart future attacks. Don’t miss your chance to gain important skills and become a part of this critically exciting opportunity to secure our future.