Learning Undefeated has
announced the debut of a new cyber forensics activity developed in
collaboration with Northrop Grumman Corporation, one of the world’s largest
technology companies and one of the leading cybersecurity employers in the country.
The new hands-on activity
for high school students, titled
Who Are Your Friends? A Cybersecurity
Mystery, demonstrates how criminals use social engineering – manipulating
people into revealing personal information online – to compromise and
hack into personal accounts. Through a series of puzzles, students learn how to
recognize and prevent cyber phishing attacks, the importance of secure
passwords, and the basics of encryption and how codes can be used to send
messages or store information.
“Co-developing this
activity alongside engineers from Northrop Grumman provides students with to
up-to-the-minute content in a field that is constantly changing,” said Learning
Undefeated Vice President of Education Jennifer Colvin. “Through this
partnership, we are letting students experiment with the types of puzzles that
cybersecurity engineers solve every day, while giving students the confidence
that they can be successful in a high-demand cybersecurity career.”
The hands-on cyber
sleuthing activity was debuted at the Fort Meade Alliance’s Tech Mania event, a
half-day experience that educates high school students about STEM careers by
showcasing innovative technological advances developed in their own backyard. Ninth
grade students from public high schools in Anne Arundel, Carroll and Howard
Counties investigated the risks and vulnerabilities of the social media they
use daily, while using clues to solve a social media mystery. Students worked
alongside Learning Undefeated educators and volunteers from Northrop Grumman.
“Cybersecurity is one of
today’s fastest growing career fields, and we want students to be aware of all
of the opportunities available to them,” said Jeanne McGuirk from Northrop
Grumman Corporation. “Our partnership with Learning Undefeated will give thousands
of students each year a taste of what it means to work in this high-demand
field.”
This activity comes on
the heels of several high-profile cybersecurity breaches in recent news and
focuses on teaching preventive measures through a fictional cyber-attack scenario.
This new content is particularly timely because cyber criminals are always
coming up with new threats so it can be difficult for students to recognize
that they may be exposing themselves to risks such as identity theft through
their online activity. The activity will also highlight ways
for students to keep themselves safe online.
The new Who Are Your Friends? activity will be available on Learning Undefeated’s Mobile
eXploration Lab and Drop Anywhere Labs in spring 2020.
