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Cybersecurity Merit Badge

Welcome to the Scouting America Cybersecurity Merit Badge class.

This site is designed for a 2.5-hour classroom session (ages 13+), plus additional time for hands-on activities and homework as needed by the counselor.

Session Plan (2.5 Hours)

Approximate timing, not counting hands-on activity time:

  1. Safety & Ethics (20 minutes)
  2. Fundamentals & CIA Triad (15 minutes)
  3. Threats, Vulnerabilities, & Attacks (20 minutes)
  4. Cyber Defenses & System Security (25 minutes)
  5. Cryptography (20 minutes)
  6. IoT & Connected Devices (10 minutes)
  7. Activities & Competitions (10 minutes)
  8. Careers & Closing (10 minutes)

Hands-on activities and requirement work can be done: - During short lab blocks - As patrol/troop activities - As homework between meetings

Use the navigation tabs at the top: - Slides – classroom presentation (optimized for use with mkdocs-material + reveal.js) - Handouts – printable worksheets and checklists for Scouts

Counselor Tips

  • Keep examples age-appropriate and concrete (social media, gaming, school laptops).
  • Use real but not sensational breach stories.
  • Emphasize protecting people, not just computers.
  • Encourage Scouts to complete hands-on tasks on their own devices only, with parent/guardian permission.

Useful references: