Cyber security has become such a prevalent issue that now Australian schools are getting in on the act, providing cyber security training to high school students.
The program, launched by the Australian Computing Academy (ACA), aims to close the gap in cyber security skills and awareness for Australia students in years 7 – 10.
The program consists of four interactive challenges that will introduce students to the fundamentals of cyber security. Students will hack fake social media profiles and try to gather personal information to allow them to think from a hacker’s perspective.
Other challenges will be released to students later in the year, focusing on data transmission and encryption, wired and wireless network security and web application security.
ACA director James Curran said that there was a significant lack of awareness around cyber security for students and the public in general.
"The Schools Cyber Security Challenges addresses this gap by fostering security-conscious students who are well equipped to deal with cyber security challenges both in their personal lives, and later, in the workforce,” Curran said.
“Teachers and parents concerned about cyber security can now be confident that their students and children will be vigilant in all aspects of their digital lives by participating in the Schools Cyber Security Challenges. Students will also be presented with a new perspective on pursuing a potential career in cyber security.”
It is great to see schools taking cyber security seriously and equipping young people with the skills to protect themselves personally and professionally in the future. It also highlights the need to have cyber security training in businesses right now, to ensure your business is protected now and into the future.
If you’re interested in training your staff, check out our blog post: Cyber Security Training: how to train your staff.