As cyberattack incidents continue to appear globally, largely attributed to the pandemic’s push for digitization, millions of people are recognizing the importance of strong cybersecurity education programs and cybersecurity fluency. In response to these emerging needs, Novus Consulting Group (NCG), an organization dedicated to young people globally, is launching its Cyber Citizenship Course this summer.
The Course was developed by experts in the cybersecurity industry and in partnership with CareerNet, an employment, training, curriculum development, and education solutions company. It prepares high school and first-year college students for the world of work and adulthood by providing them with proper cyber etiquette skills, including information on ways to protect personal identity, school data, home devices, and all networks. With these tools, students will be ready to take on the next step in their personal, academic, and professional lives.
“Children and youth are often considered to be a soft target, mainly due to the fact that they have not yet been trained on basic cybersecurity subjects and ways to protect themselves and their devices, making them an easy gateway into more valuable home and school devices and networks,” said Dr. Hanine Salem, managing partner at Novus Consulting Group. “We developed this Course to enable young people to protect themselves, understand appropriate internet usage, and explore cybersecurity as a professional path.”
The flexible, web-based course can be integrated into the core curriculum, employed as a supplemental program, or introduced as an extracurricular program. The Course, available on Apple and Android devices, allows students access to the content at any time by downloading it as an application. The Cyber Citizenship Course goes beyond cybersecurity basics to include good and best practice for digital wellness by using engaging, real-world scenarios to cover themes like internet etiquette and cybersecurity.
Among the core topics offered by this Course, Cyber Citizenship covers:
- The three pillars of cybersecurity: confidentiality, integrity and availability;
- An overview of hacking, including who hackers are, their motives and the assets they seek to acquire;
- An introduction to malware, such as viruses, worms and Trojan horses;
- The psychology of cybercrime, including how cybercriminals use social engineering to exploit human emotions to carry out their attacks;
- Potential vulnerabilities, including ineffective passwords and back-door access through existing Wi-Fi networks;
- How to maintain good cyber hygiene through safe passwords, security updates and reducing risky behaviors; and
- The benefits and risks of social media and steps students can take to protect themselves.
The Course is accredited by both The Institute of Leadership and Management and City & Guilds. As this field continues to evolve, the content of the Course will stay updated to reflect the latest trends and threats.
To learn more, visit novusgroup.co/cybercitizenship.
The American Consortium for Equity in Education, publisher of the "Equity & Access" journal, celebrates and connects the educators, associations, community partners and industry leaders who are working to solve problems and create a more equitable environment for historically underserved pre K-12 students throughout the United States.
