Featured Class: Secrets of Cybersecurity

Teens: Do you know how to protect your computer, phone, network, and personal information from being hacked?

  • Social security numbers stolen.
  • Credit card accounts copied.
  • Passwords pilfered.
  • Phony e-mails.

Few people understand the online risks they take every day. How secure are TikTok, Instagram, SnapChat, and Facebook? Could someone steal your information from these popular apps? What could you do if someone uses your name or takes your photo without permission? What does it mean to be catfished, ghosted, or cyberbullied over social media, and how can you be sure who you are chatting with? How safe is Zoom, and are there safeguards in virtual meetings? The class is designed to give teens the knowledge they need to protect their digital identities and devices from increasingly sophisticated attacks and scams. Students will examine real-life user experiences and case studies through hands-on projects and simulations. Take this class to get ready for Ethical Hacking second semester!

For most users, practical computer security poses challenges.

  • Do you have antivirus software installed on your devices, and is it effective? Malware, spyware, adware, worms, Trojan horses, and enough cyber viruses to declare a pandemic.
  • Do you use Google Drive, DropBox, OneDrive, or iCloud? Learn what cloud storage is, where your documents and pictures actually “go”, and how to secure your cloud files.
  • Learn how to tell if an online vendor is legitimate and if its transactions are secure.
  • Discover how to identify online scams and when it is safe- or not- to accept free apps and free downloads.
  • Discuss common fails in user passwords and how to select, save, and remember safe passwords.
  • Find out “where” your digital library of games, movies, ebooks, and music downloads are, if they are actually yours, and what would happen to them if the app company closed.

The Secrets of Cybersecurity meets on Mondays from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm starting September 13. This is a semester-long (13 week) class intended to give students in 9th-12th grade an introduction to technology topics for a partial high school credit in career exploration/electives. The class is taught by Northern Virginia Community College professor and cybersecurity professional, Alex Seminario.

Register for Secrets of Cybersecurity HERE.