UTeach Foundations of Cybersecurity
Foundations of Cybersecurity is an engaging course designed for all students to explore cybersecurity through hands-on, student-centered projects.
Course Overview
In this relevant, project-based curriculum, students explore core cybersecurity skills through practical lessons focused on topics like risk assessment, data security, cyberattacks, and more. Students connect classroom learning to real-world application with unit projects, easy-to-understand videos, collaborative research activities, and hands-on labs. Throughout the units, students collect clues to unlock a unique password that stops a cyber attack from the fictional hacker group Anomalous and saves the world. View syllabus.
The UTeach Cybersecurity Curriculum, developed in collaboration with Teach Cyber, is based on the High School Cybersecurity Curriculum Guidelines (HSCCG) designed by a team of educators and cybersecurity experts in partnership with the National Cryptologic Foundation.
"This is by far the best Cybersecurity curriculum I’ve accessed. It allows me to concentrate on what students need instead of lesson planning!" — Texas Teacher
Included with Your License
- Comprehensive teacher materials
- Complete student-facing curriculum
- Unlimited teacher support
- Codio platform access, with student accounts
More Praise for UTeach Cybersecurity
"This curriculum will be a game changer for cybersecurity. Adding project-based learning will hook the students throughout the year." – UTeach Cybersecurity Teacher, Florida
"UTeach really provides everything one needs to get started teaching. Other curriculum often leaves a lot for the teacher to figure out. UTeach provides more resources upfront, and explains where flexibility and differentiation can be used." – Adam M., UTeach Cybersecurity Teacher, Pennsylvania
Foundations of Cybersecurity Unit Descriptions
Jump to:
- Unit 1: What Is Cybersecurity?
- Unit 2: Risk, Adversity, and Trust
- Unit 3: Elements of Cyberspace
- Unit 4: Data, Software, Hardware, and Network Security
- Unit 5: Countermeasures Against Cyberattacks
Unit 1: What Is Cybersecurity?
In this first unit, students learn about the following topics:
- Early hacks
- Cyberspace and cybersecurity defined
- Internet architecture
- CIA Triad
- Internet of Things
- Ethics and cybersecurity
Along with developing a thorough understanding of the professional code of ethics in cybersecurity, students begin their exploration of cybersecurity issues related to the internet, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things under the context of the CIA triad.
Unit 2: Risk, Adversity, and Trust
Unit 2 addresses the question, “What is trust?”
Students focus on:
- Data classification
- Vulnerabilities, threats, attacks
- Software vulnerabilities
- Social engineering
- Security controls, policies, and protection
- Balance of risk and trust
Through engaging activities, discussion, a hands-on lab, and a unit project, students learn about information protection, threats, vulnerabilities, attacks, and security controls. By the end of this unit, students will have a comprehensive understanding of cyber risk.
Unit 3: Elements of Cyberspace
In this unit, students explore how hardware and software work together to achieve an overall objective. Topics include:
- Overview of hardware and software
- Introduction to operating systems
- Understanding flaws and failures
- Introduction to embedded systems
- Introduction to networks
- Components of a network
- The internet
- Network protocols
Along with hands-on labs and a unit project, students explore various operating systems, network models, and protocols. They also examine society’s reliance on computers and networks in healthcare, commerce, national defense, entertainment, and leisure.
Unit 4: Data, Software, Hardware, and Network Security
Unit 4 focuses on concepts of data in cyberspace:
- Data security concerns
- Data principles
- Data states
- Software vulnerabilities
- Hardware vulnerabilities
- Network vulnerabilities
- Cyber-physical system vulnerabilities
- Human vulnerabilities in cybersecurity
Students delve into the technical aspects of cybersecurity including data states and data controls, as well as vulnerabilities and exploits in software, hardware, networks, cyber-physical systems, and the weakest link in the cybersecurity chain—humans. This unit includes various hands-on labs and as well as a unit project.
Unit 5: Countermeasures Against Cyberattacks
Unit 5 further develops understanding of data security controls:
- Role-based access control
- Mandatory access control
- Discretionary access control
- Modern cryptographic algorithms
- Organizational policy controls
- Hash functions
- Digital signatures
- Nonrepudiation
- Physical security
- Network security
- Acceptable use
- Defense-in-depth
- Secure protocols
Students learn how to secure systems and data, implement security policies, and explore other key security concepts like like authentication, encryption, and access control. The unit also covers the importance of secure software and networks, with hands-on labs and a unit project.
More Information About UTeach Foundations of Cybersecurity
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