CodeHS Cybersecurity Insider: AI Safety Classroom Activity, Cybersecurity Challenge, and More!
🌱 Classroom Activity: Spot the AI-Powered Scam
As AI tools become more powerful, cybercriminals are using them to make their attacks more convincing than ever. AI-generated voices, fake videos (deepfakes), and hyper-personalized phishing emails are making it harder to tell what's real.
Classroom Activity: Real Message or AI Fake?
Present these scenarios to students and have them identify the warning signs:
Scenario 1: You receive a voicemail that sounds exactly like your school principal, asking you to call back immediately and confirm your student ID number and home address for a "records update."
Scenario 2: You get an email that reads: "Hi [Your Name], I noticed you applied for the part-time barista position at Brew & Bean last week. Click here to schedule your interview — we just need your Social Security number to run a background check in advance."
Scenario 3: A video circulates in your group chat showing a classmate saying something embarrassing. When you ask them about it, they have no idea what you're talking about.
🔴 Red Flags to Spot
Urgent requests for personal information, even from someone who sounds familiar
Job offers or opportunities that ask for sensitive data before an interview
Videos or audio clips that seem slightly "off" — unnatural blinking, odd lip sync, or robotic voice patterns
Pressure to act fast without time to verify
Discussion Questions
If you received a voicemail from someone who sounded like a trusted adult but the request felt strange, what would you do before responding?
How is an AI-generated phishing email more dangerous than a traditional one? What makes it harder to spot?
🚀 AP Cybersecurity Updates
The CodeHS team is expanding our cybersecurity offerings to better support teachers and students, including our new AP Cybersecurity course from the College Board’s AP Career Kickstart program. CodeHS has everything you need to successfully teach this course in the fall, including professional development and a new Cyber Range.
🗞️ Cybersecurity in the News
K-12 Student Data at Risk: Infinite Campus Breach
Infinite Campus, one of the most widely used student information systems in K-12 schools nationwide, warned customers of a data breach following an extortion attempt by a threat actor. Infinite Campus is the platform many schools use to track grades, attendance, schedules, and student contact information, meaning the potential exposure directly affects students and families.
This breach is a timely reminder that student data is valuable to cybercriminals. Schools store significant amounts of personal information, and when that data is compromised, it can lead to targeted phishing attempts, identity theft, and social engineering attacks against students and their families.
Read more: Infinite Campus warns of breach after ShinyHunters claims data theft
Class Discussion Questions:
What kinds of personal information do you think your school's student information system stores about you? Why would that data be valuable to a cybercriminal?
If a hacker obtained your school email address and schedule, what kinds of attacks could they attempt? How would you recognize them?
Who do you think is responsible for protecting student data — the school, the software company, or both? Why?
🔥 Cybersecurity Challenge
Decode the following message using a well-known cipher:
- .... .. -. -.-
-... . ..-. --- .-. .
-.-- --- ..-
-.-. .-.. .. -.-. -.-
Last Insider’s Challenge Answer:
Decode the following message using a substitution cipher:
SURWHFW BRXU SDVVZRUGV
This message uses a Caesar cipher with a shift of 3. Each letter was shifted forward by 3 positions (A→D, B→E, etc.). To decode it, shift each letter backward by 3.
The message reads: "PROTECT YOUR PASSWORDS"
💡 2026 CodeHS Virtual Teacher Conference
Registration is now open for the 2026 CodeHS Virtual Teacher Conference! Join fellow educators Saturday, April 11th 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM CT as they share insights, best practices, and valuable tips to enhance your computer science teaching. Attendees will also receive:
A trial of CodeHop, Tynker, or CodeHS Pro until June 30th
An exclusive Digital Swag Bag featuring virtual backgrounds, posters, and more
Entry into a raffle for a chance to win an iPad
💸 Student Scholarship Application
Calling All High School Seniors - Now Accepting Applications!
CodeHS is proud to invite all eligible students to apply for the CodeHS Scholarship! We will award $1,000 grants to 10 students who plan to study computer science and related fields at the post-secondary level.
Review the scholarship eligibility requirements and learn how your students can apply today. All applications are due by May 20th, 2026 @ 11:59 PM CT.
💬 Stay Connected
Explore the CodeHS Cybersecurity Topic Hub
Chat with fellow teachers in the CodeHS Facebook Group
Happy Coding!
- The CodeHS Team