Think Like a Hacker

Students will pretend they are in charge of cybersecurity for a app. Their job it to retain users and increase the security of the system. They will do this by working through the NOVA lab on Cybersecurity.

Author: Adrienne Unertl
Subjects: Computer Science, Technology
Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
CS Domains: Networks and The Internet, Algorithms and Programming, Impacts of Computing
CS Principles: Collaborating Around Computing, Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems, Communicating About Computing
Standards Framework: CSTA, Wyoming CS
Materials: Website, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/lab/cyber/research#/newuser
Tag: Cybersecurity

OVERVIEW

Activity Overview:

Students will pretend they are in charge of cybersecurity for a app. Their job it to retain users and increase the security of the system. They will do this by working through the NOVA lab on Cybersecurity.

Meta description

  • Subject Area: Computer Science, Technology
  • Grade Level : 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
  • Computer Science Domains:
    • Networks and The Internet, Algorithms and Programming, Impacts of Computing
  • Computer Science Principles:
    • Collaborating Around Computing, Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems, Communicating About Computing
  • Materials:
  • Considerations:
    • Search for current bug bounties being offered by companies to connect real world white hat hacker with job opportunities.

Lesson Plan

Overview

Students will pretend they are in charge of cybersecurity for a app. Their job it to retain users and increase the security of the system. They will do this by working through the NOVA lab on Cybersecurity.

ASSESSMENT PRE/POST-TEST

  1.    What is Cybersecurity?

  2.    What can you do to keep your information safe?

  3.    How do you spot phony emails/spam?

OBJECTIVES

Identify a strong password. Identify a type of cyber attack. Identify the different between a White Hat hacker and a Black Hat Hacker.

CATCH/HOOK

Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opRMrEfAIiI&t=7s and ask what would they do if they were asked the same question by a stranger or even their friends.

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

Students will pretend they are in charge of cybersecurity for a app. Their job it to retain users and increase the security of the system. They will do this by working through the NOVA lab on Cybersecurity.

Supplements

Any items in this section are the property & under the license of their respective owners.

REVIEW

Through discussions about what they learned and how their thinking about security and sharing passwords might have changed. Also discuss what kinds of tools hackers use to penetrate a system.

STANDARDS

TypeListing
CS DomainsNetworks and The Internet, Algorithms and Programming, Impacts of Computing
CS PrinciplesCollaborating Around Computing, Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems, Communicating About Computing
Other Content StandardsCSTA: 3A-NI-06 2-NI-06, 2-NI-05 1B-NI-05, 1A-NI-04 WY CS Standards PRIORITY 5.NI.C.01 Discuss real-world cybersecurity problems and identify and implement appropriate strategies for how personal information can be protected. Practice 3.1 Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems
8.NI.C.01 Critique physical and digital procedures that could be implemented to protect electronic data/information.
Practice 7.3 Communicating About Computing

L1.NI.C.01 Give examples to illustrate how sensitive data can be affected by malware and other attacks. Practice 7.2 Communicating About Computing |