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The Teach Cyber Megabyte
Thanks for being part of the Teach Cyber mailing list! We're excited to share relevant and useful information about Teach Cyber and other resources, events, and news in cybersecurity education. Feel free to forward and share! (Please note: if you forward this to someone else and they click "unsubscribe", you may be unsubscribed from the mailing list.)
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In this month's Megabyte: Nominate a "Cybersecurity Teacher of the Year"; Free Tools to Protect Schools from Ransomware Attacks; Pilot Testing Update; Upcoming Events; Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!
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NOMINATE A CYBERSECURITY TEACHER OF THE YEAR
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It's been a hard year. We know this is especially true for teachers. Virtual learning and changing schedules have added new challenges, and teachers across the Nation have risen to the occasion.
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We want to say THANK YOU to cybersecurity teachers in our own small way!
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We're awarding three $150 Amazon gift cards to high school cybersecurity teachers. We're looking for nominations.
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Do you know a teacher who does a great job teaching cybersecurity? Nominate them! (Please get their consent before nominating.) We welcome self-nominations, too! We accept any nominee whose subject matter includes cybersecurity, though preference may be given to dedicated cybersecurity teachers.
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- Nominee's name & email address (we will use this to contact awardees)
- Nominee's school
- How may years the nominee has been teaching cybersecurity
- Nominee's top 1-3 accomplishments in advancing cybersecurity education
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We will select and notify awardees no later than February 3rd.
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The U.S. Department of Education is collecting nominees for the second annual Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award. This award is presented annually to one elementary teacher and one secondary teacher. Any teacher whose subject matter includes cybersecurity is welcome to apply. Teachers from all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, DoDEA schools, and tribal areas may apply. Applications are due January 31st. For more information, click here.
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RISING RANSOMWARE ATTACKS AGAINST SCHOOLS
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Ransomware attacks against K-12 districts and schools are on the rise. According to this article [1], in 2020, ransomware attacks against K-12 institutions were 29% higher in August-September than in January-July. "Because an attack makes distance learning difficult or impossible, disrupting the lives of thousands of students and parents, there’s a lot of pressure for schools to pay up quickly" [1]. In addition to deploying ransomware, hackers are increasingly targeting and stealing student data.
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[1] Marks, Joseph. "The Cybersecurity 202: Spiking ransomware attacks against schools make pandemic education even harder." The Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2020.
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TEACH CYBER PILOT TESTING UPDATE
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Thank you to all who expressed interest in Teach Cyber pilot testing. We're excited to welcome 18 new pilot testers! In the coming semester, pilot testers will implement our course in 12 states across the U.S. Pilot testers provide invaluable feedback, which we plan to use for future course improvements. In addition to collecting feedback from pilot testers, we hope to build relationships and work together to grow and promote cybersecurity education across the country.
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We have registered users across 46 states. Pilot testers denoted by the plane icon.
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12/29/2020 – 12/30/2020, FREE
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"SANS is finishing the year off with another SANS Cyber Camp for Teens! If you're interested in a career in cyber security and you attend high school or junior high, this event is for you! The camp brings together a group of cyber security experts, discussing the latest topics and trends in IT Security."
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10/30/2020 – 4/4/2021, FREE
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"A free national program for high school students to master cybersecurity as a gateway to the industry, up their digital skills, and compete for college scholarships!"
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CyberStart America is a gamified way for high school students to learn cybersecurity and potentially qualify for scholarships. "Prizes available through the National Cyber Scholarship Competition include: $2 million of college scholarships; access to a cybersecurity training course worth $3000; (and) recognition badges that can be used on college and job applications."
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To qualify for the National Cyber Scholarship Competition, students must complete 20% of the game by March 8, 2021.
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Do you have a cybersecurity event you'd like to share? Please send it to Rachel Dark (rachel.dark@teachcyber.org). We will include it in our next Megabyte.
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HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from Teach Cyber!
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We hope you have a safe, relaxing, and joyful time with friends and family. See you in 2021. We have big plans on the horizon!
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