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Fundamentals of Cybersecurity (2020)

Description

In this lesson, students learn that since the Internet is used to send, receive, and store valuable personal information, users are put at risk of having this information stolen through cyber attacks. Cybersecurity is a field that involves several disciplines of computer science. It is valuable to build basic computer science literacy no matter what field you eventually enter.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Set individual learning goals for themselves in the cybersecurity course
  • Explain why it is important to learn computer science, regardless of their goals in college and career
Description

In this lesson, students will learn what is meant by cybersecurity and explore a few news worthy cyber attacks. They will also discuss the Internet of Things and the increase in connected devices.

Cybersecurity is the protection of computer systems, networks, and data from digital attacks. Increased connectivity via the Internet of Things and reliance on computer devices to send and store data makes users more vulnerable to cyber attacks.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Define cybersecurity
  • Describe how the Internet of Things makes people more vulnerable to cyber attacks
  • Reflect on recent cyber attacks and identify the financial and societal impact of the attack
Description

In this lesson, students will learn and examine recent cyber attacks. Cyber attacks result in financial loss, lowered trust, disruption of important services, and more. There is a growing need for cybersecurity experts, and careers in the field are lucrative with high-impact.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Evaluate recent cyber attacks and understand the negative consequences of these attacks
  • Understand career opportunities in the field of cybersecurity
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about The CIA Triad. The CIA Triad is a widely-accepted security measure that should be guaranteed in every secure system. It stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.

  • Confidentiality is the protection of information from people who are not authorized to view it.
  • Integrity aims at ensuring that information is protected from unauthorized or unintentional alteration.
  • Availability is the assurance that systems and data are accessible by authorized users when and where needed.
Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Identify what the CIA triad is and how it relates to cybersecurity
  • Identify which part of the CIA triad has been broken in a given scenario
Description

In this lesson, students complete a summative assessment of the unit’s learning objectives.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Prove their knowledge of basic cybersecurity concepts and its impacts through a multiple choice quiz
Description

In this lesson, students understand how they can control and protect their footprint. As students use the Internet, they are building their digital footprint. This includes social media posts, emails, picture and video uploads amongst other online activities.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Understand how their online activity contributes to a permanent and public digital footprint
  • Articulate their own social media guidelines to protect their digital footprint
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about and discuss cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to harass or target someone. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Understand the impact of cyberbullying, and identify unacceptable bullying behavior
  • Identify proper actions to take if they are victims of cyberbullying or if they observe someone being cyberbullied
Description

In this lesson, students will learn to recognize online predatory behavior and strategies on how to avoid and respond to it. The Internet is a great place to socialize, but it is important to be aware of risks. Common sense and following safety guidelines can help students stay safe online.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Identify predatory behavior and how to respond to it online
Description

In this lesson, students will discuss and examine policies regarding privacy and security. Using best practices like setting strong passwords, reading privacy policies, and using https can help in staying safe online.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Use best practices in personal privacy and security, including strong passwords, using https, and reading privacy policies
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about and discuss information literacy. Information literacy is having the ability to find information, evaluate information credibility, and use information effectively.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Effectively search for and evaluate resources
Description

In this lesson, students will learn what copyright laws are and how to avoid copyright infringement. They will explore why copyright laws are important and how they protect the creators.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain what copyright laws are and why they are important
  • Find images they are legally allowed to use in their projects
  • Accurately attribute images they find and want to use
Description

In this lesson, students will explore and discuss the ethics and legality around hacking. A security hacker is someone who seeks to break through defenses and exploit weaknesses in a computer system or network. There are white hat hackers, who help companies find and protect exploits in their systems, and black hat hackers who hack maliciously.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Identify the difference between white hat hacking and black hat hacking
  • Explain career opportunities in cybersecurity
Description

In this lesson, students complete a summative assessment of the unit’s learning objectives.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Prove their knowledge of digital citizenship and cyber hygiene concepts through a multiple choice quiz
Description

Now that students have learned about digital citizenship and cyber hygiene, they will take what they have learned and create a PSA to inform members in the community about a topic!

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Create a public service announcement for members of their community about a topic in digital citizenship or cyber hygiene
  • Use google sheets to store and analyze data, and create a data visualization.
Description

In this lesson, students will learn the basics of what a programming language does and the differences between compilers and interpreters. Students will also learn about data types and how to initialize and assign values to variables.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the difference between the different types of programming languages
  • Initialize and assign values to variables
  • Differentiate between the different data types
Description

In this lesson, students learn how Karel the Dog can be given a set of instructions to perform a simple task. Additionally, students learn about functions, and how they can use functions to break down their programs into smaller pieces and make them easier to understand.

Objective
  • Write their first Karel program by typing out all of the Karel commands with proper syntax
  • Explain how giving commands to a computer is like giving commands to a dog
  • Create functions to teach Karel new commands
  • Explain the difference between defining and calling a function
Description

In this lesson, students learn how to use for loops and while loops in their programs. For loops allow Karel to repeat a specific part of code a fixed number of times, and while loops allow Karel to repeat a specific part of code while a certain condition is true. Additionally, while loops allow students to create general solutions to problems that will work on multiple Karel worlds, rather than just one.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain when a for loop should be a used and when a while loop should be used
  • Create for loops to repeat code a fixed number of times
  • Create while loops to repeat code while a condition is true
  • Test their solutions on different Karel worlds
Description

In this lesson, students learn about an additional control structure, if/else statements. If/else statements let students do one thing if a condition is true, and something else otherwise.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the purpose of an If/Else statement
  • Create If/Else statements to solve new types of problems
Description

In this lesson, students learn about lists/arrays and how to access an element in an array with an index so they can create ordered collections of items. Students also learn about another way to store data in JavaScript: objects. An object stores mappings from a key to a value.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Define an array
  • Create an array and access certain elements of an array by using an index
  • Define objects
  • Access a value in an object and add a key, value pair to an object
Description

In this lesson, students learn about the importance of planning when writing complex programs. Students learn that flowcharts and pseudocode are essential tools that help break down a problem. Students also learn how to use comments in JavaScript as a way to make their code more readable.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the role of pseudocode and flow charts in writing complex programs
  • Explain how adding comments make a program clearer and more readable
Description

In this lesson, students review content with a 15 question Unit Quiz.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate their understanding of foundational programming concepts
Description

In this lesson, students will learn how basic encryption and decryption works. There is a need for secrecy when sending and receiving personal information. Encryption and decryption are used to protect personal information.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Define cryptography, cryptology, and cryptanalysis
  • Explain the need for encryption and how basic encryption and decryption works
  • Relate encryption with how it affects the CIA Triad
Description

In this lesson, students will learn the history of cryptography. Humans have always had reasons to hide information, and throughout history they have used crypto systems of varying complexity to keep information safe.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the purpose of cryptography and how different crypto systems have been used throughout history
Description

In this lesson, students will learn and practice using the Caesar Cipher. The Caesar Cipher is an encryption method that predates computers in which each letter of the message is shifted by a certain amount, called the key.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Encrypt and decrypt messages using the Caesar Cipher
Description

In this lesson, students will practice using brute force and letter frequency to crack the Caesar Cipher. The Caesar Cipher is an encryption method in which each letter of the message is shifted by a certain amount, called the key. Cracking the Caesar Cipher with brute force (trying every combination) is a trivial matter for modern computers.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain why the Caesar Cipher is so easy for a computer to crack
  • Use basic letter distribution analysis to decrypt a simple message
Description

In this lesson, students will learn and use the Vigenère Cipher. The Vigenère Cipher consists of several Caesar ciphers in sequence with different shift values based on a keyword, so brute force and letter frequency analysis do not work.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain how the Vigenère Cipher works and why it is not as easy to crack as the Caesar Cipher
Description

In this project, students will get to create a newscast about a cipher! This could be pre-recorded or presented live and could be a great way to vary the standard group presentation on a topic. The components of the presentation should include:

  • Introduction to newscast
  • Breaking news or lead story
  • Expert or on-scene interview (this can be part of the lead story or second story)
  • Second story
  • Commercial
  • Wrap-up of newscast
Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Create a newscast as part of a group to report out about a cipher
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about the basic functions and types of operating systems. Students will also explore the process for upgrading and installing Windows and Mac operating systems.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the purpose of operating systems
  • Identify the main types of operating systems
  • Analyze the upgrade and installation process for operating systems
Description

In this lesson, students delve deeper into the differences between the three main operating systems. They learn how operating systems store and manage files and the differences and similarities in each system’s interface.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Compare and contrast the interface of Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems
  • Explain how operating systems use file systems to manage data
Description

In this lesson, students continue to compare and contrast different operating systems. Students learn how operating systems use file extensions to determine how to view different data types and how some extensions are only compatible with specific operating systems. Additionally, students learn about processors and the difference between a 32-bit processor and a 64-bit processor.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Compare and contrast file systems of different operating systems
  • Explain the role of the processor in a computer system
  • Explain the difference between a 32-bit and 64-bit processor and the impact it has on the operating system
Description

In this lesson, students learn about the different types of software. Through interactive exercises, students explore how different software can be used in the workplace and our every day lives. Students also learn about single and cross-platform software.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the different types of software (productivity, collaboration, business) and the purpose of each.
  • Explain the benefits and challenges of single and cross-platform software.
Description

In this lesson, students learn about the different types of software licenses as well as the different methods of installing software based on the application’s architecture.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the different types of software licenses
  • Explain the different delivery methods and architecture models of installing software
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about the importance of application security and what they can do to protect applications once they have been installed on a device.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the importance of application security
  • Explain the multiple methods for protecting software
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about browser security features and ways to configure their browsers to enhance security.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Configure their browser to enhance security and privacy
  • Explain how the following features impact their browser security: cache, client-side scripting, browser extensions, private browsing, proxy settings, certificates, and popup blockers
  • Describe appropriate browser security configurations
Description

In this lesson, students learn how to use user accounts and permissions to secure a device. Students also learn about system hardening and how to strengthen the security of a network by setting up and implementing host security.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Describe how creating user accounts and permissions enhances security
  • Define system hardening explain the importance of establishing baseline security, including deciding rules around authentication and authorization
  • Explain the importance of performing security audits
Description

In this lesson, students learn how to use the command line interface to interact with files and folders, and access information about computer processes.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Understand the connection between a command line (CLI) interface and a graphical line interface (GUI)
  • Use the appropriate command line tool for different tasks
Description

In this lesson, students complete a summative assessment of the module’s learning objectives.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Prove their knowledge of system administration concepts and its impacts through a multiple choice quiz
Description

In this lesson, students will look under the hood of web sites and web applications by using “view page source” in a browser. This will enable them to see HTML markup for images, navigation, and page layouts, CSS styling, and even JavaScript source code or links to JS files. Students will also view code that has been minified and understand what that means. Lastly, students will also take a first look at OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) which is an important organization in cybersecurity.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Identify major sections of code within the view source of a web page/app
  • Understand the importance of OWASP and how it relates to the field of cybersecurity
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about and use the developer tools in a browser. Web developers actually use these to help build and test websites. Cyber professionals need to be very familiar with the different ways of looking at how sites and apps function so they can use various tools to detect vulnerabilities or even detect attacks as they are starting.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Identify major developer tools within the inspect element
  • Explain the major difference between view page source and what is rendered in the inspect tools
  • Explain in general terms what each major tool in the inspect area can show a developer
  • Explain how the developer tools can help web developers build and maintain sites, and how understanding the tools can potentially help cyber professionals who are trying to keep sites and data secure
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about the impact of visually representing data to make information easier to analyze and use.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the importance of visually depicting data to make information easier to use and to understand trends and changes in information
Description

In this lesson, students will take a look at what databases are, how they are organized and used, the major parts of a database, and what a database schema is and generally looks like.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the primary purposes of a database
  • Identify and explain the major parts of a database
  • Understand the implications of database storage on the protection of data within the field of cybersecurity
Description

In this lesson, students take a look at what client and server devices and applications are, the client-server model, and how databases are part of that client-server model. They will get a high-level view of how clients and servers work together to help exchange information and data over a network or the Internet.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Identify a client device and explain its purpose
  • Identify a server device and explain its purpose
  • Explain the client-server model
Description

In this lesson, students will be introduced to SQL (structured query language). Students will also learn how a database is structured into tables and rows.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain what the SQL programming language does
  • Define the different parts of a database (table, column, row)
  • Define what a schema is in relation to a database
Description

In this lesson, we learn about and use the SELECT statement in SQL. The SELECT statement is used to query the database and return a row or multiple rows from a table in the database.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Use a SELECT statement in SQL to query a database using * or the FROM statement
Description

In this lesson, students learn about the WHERE clause and basic filtering of queries in SQL.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Use a WHERE clause in a statement in SQL to filter queries
Description

In this lesson, students learn the overall concept of security: what it means to them personally and what it means to organizations in a digital world. They will reflect on what makes them feel secure.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain what security means on a personal and organizational level
Description

This lesson provides an overview of what SQL injection is, the impact, how it works, and how hackers use SQL to attack a site. The lesson also has connections on the Equifax cyber attack that was a very large scale SQL injection.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Understand and explain what a SQL injection attack is and the ongoing, pervasive impact of SQLi cyber attacks
Description

In this lesson, students will learn and discuss types of SQLi and ways to prevent or at least mitigate an attack.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the 3 types of SQLi and the vulnerability associated with each
  • Understand the fundamentals of how SQL injections are prevented or at least mitigated
Description

In this lesson, students will explore at a high-level what the internet is and how the internet works.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Understand what the internet is
  • Understand how the internet works
Description

In this lesson, students will learn what a number system is, the difference between the decimal number system and the binary number system, and how to convert between decimal and binary.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Represent numbers in different number systems
  • Understand how to convert between the decimal and binary system
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about the hexadecimal number system, and how it is useful in storing digital information. They will also learn how to convert numbers from the hexadecimal system to binary and vice versa.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Understand how to convert between the hexadecimal and binary system
  • Encode various types of information using binary
Description

In this lesson, students will explore the hardware that makes up the internet and the characteristics of that hardware that define our experience on the internet.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Discuss and answer questions about the hardware that powers the internet
Description

In this lesson, students will explore how internet hardware communicates using Internet Addresses and the Internet Protocol.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Discuss the necessity of internet protocols
  • Recognize the hierarchy of elements in an IP address
Description

In this lesson, students will explore the DNS system and how it maps human readable domain names into actual accessible IP addresses.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Understand the DNS system and how it works
  • Recognize the DNS system as an abstraction
Description

In this lesson, students explore how messages get from one address on the internet to another.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain how computers communicate using routers
  • Explain what considerations are made when choosing a route
  • Discuss how routers are fault-tolerant because of redundancy
Description

In this lesson, students learn about the last piece of the puzzle for how the Internet works: Packets and Protocols. All information sent over the internet is broken down into small groups of bits called packets. The format for creating and reading packets is defined by open protocols so that all devices can read packets from all other devices.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the packet process and how protocols (TCP/IP and HTTP) are vital to the exchange of information on the Internet
  • Explain the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
Description

In this lesson, students learn how all of the pieces of the puzzle (IP addresses, the DNS system, routing, and packets and protocols) fit together to send information over the internet. Students will extend these new concepts to consider net neutrality and its ramifications on cybersecurity.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Describe the process that occurs when typing in a URL, from sending a request and response over the Internet to viewing a webpage
  • Explain what net neutrality is and any implications for cybersecurity
Description

In this lesson, students are presented with different ways that the Internet impacts their lives. The Internet affects the way that people communicate (emails, social media, video chat) and collaborate to solve problems. It has revolutionized the way that people can learn and even buy things. Because the Internet is present in almost every facet of people’s lives, there are severe ethical and legal concerns that derive from the Internet.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Analyze the different ways that the Internet impacts their lives by learning about how the Internet contributes to collaboration, communication, etc
  • Evaluate whether the Internet has a more positive or negative effect on their community by citing examples from the lesson
  • Explain what the digital divide is and articulate their own opinions related to it
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about the essential internal components that make up a computer. Component categories include the motherboard (system board), firmware (BIOS), CPU (processor), GPU (graphics processor), storage, cooling, and NIC (network adapter).

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the purpose of common internal computing components such as motherboards, BIOS, RAM, and more.
Description

In this lesson, students will learn and explain the purposes and use of various peripheral types. They will classify the peripherals as input or output devices and explore different ways of installing them on a laptop or PC.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the purposes and uses of various peripheral types
  • Classify common types of input/output device interfaces.
  • Explain how to install common peripheral devices to a laptop/PC
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about different networking devices that allow devices to connect to other devices as well as the Internet. They will also learn different networking connection methods such as using dialup, DSL, coax cables, and fiber optic cables.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Compare and contrast common Internet service types
  • Compare and contrast common networking hardware devices
  • Explain basic cable types, features, and their purposes
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about the different storage options including local storage, network storage, and cloud storage.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Compare and contrast storage types
  • Examine and discuss the security of cloud storage
  • Select suitable storage devices for given situations
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about the different network types and options that are available. This will include wireless networking standards and protocols.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Compare and contrast the different wireless network standards
  • Compare and contrast Internet connection types, network types, and their features
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about different ports and protocols and how they can be protected using a firewall. They will explore port scans and how to set firewall rules.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Compare and contrast different ports, protocols and their purposes
  • Explain the purpose of a firewall and how it protects against unwanted traffic
Description

In this lesson, students will learn about different CLI commands and tools that will provide network information. Students will also take a look at network connection logs to determine the legitimacy of specific login attempts.

Objective

Students will be able to:

  • Explain and use appropriate network command line tools
  • Read and understand the basics of log reports
Description

In this lesson, students complete a summative assessment of the module’s learning objectives.