Cyber security attacks can affect anyone anywhere. Following the pandemic when so many everyday activities now rely on digital technology, it is more important than ever that people have the skills and knowledge to avoid the dangers of cyber security and privacy breaches.
In 2021-22, a team from our School of Computer Science and Informatics carried out an outreach project to help members of the public, and school and college students to improve their cyber security skills through school workshops, public events and sessions on topics such as online safety, privacy regulation and rights, social engineering, phone security, phishing and spam.
Schools activities run by the team helped inspire young people's interest in computer science and cyber security.
Leading the field of cybersecurity in Wales
Cybersecurity is one of the priority areas for Cardiff University. We are recognised as an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education (ACE-CSE) by the National Cyber Security Centre, and we are one of only three of the research-intensive Russell Group Universities in the UK to hold both ACE-CSE and Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research recognitions.
The ACE-CSE recognition was awarded for the work that our cybersecurity researchers and educators do across the university including outreach activities for younger people and the general public, engagement with industry, and high-quality cybersecurity degree programmes. Helping our communities and businesses to feel safer and better protected from cyber threats, through public outreach programmes, is one of the key priorities of our ACE-CSE.
The Cyber First Adventurers outreach event for Year 7 and 8 students that the team delivered is part of the Cyber First programme.
Bringing cyber security into the community
The cyber security awareness seminars for the public explained how to take advantage of the broad range of services on the internet while being aware of security and privacy issues. Topics covered included how to create strong passwords, multifactor authentication, positive digital footprints and data protection regulations.
Sanyam Vyas, a Cardiff PhD student who took part in the project and delivered the awareness sessions, said: “Overall, the experience felt extremely rewarding as I was in charge spreading the latest online safety guidelines to the local public.”
The cyber security career awareness event helped young people understand a wide range of job opportunities that cyber security has to offer. The event included a series of short career presentations from cyber security specialists, and a panel discussion about cyber security careers with experts from Tarian and Wales Cyber Security Resilience Centre.
The Cyber First Adventurers outreach event for Year 7 and 8 students that the team delivered is part of the Cyber First programme and aimed to interest young people in computer science and cyber security.
Maha Alotaibi, Cardiff PhD student who supported participant during the Cyber First Adventurers event, said: “Taking a part in the event CyberFirst Adventurers event was a great opportunity to investigate the problem of teaching cyber security to secondary students. I discussed with their teachers the main issues for young learners.”
The event focused on students from disadvantaged and economically deprived areas of Cardiff, and female secondary school students in Wales - a group underrepresented in computer science and cyber security.
Iryna Bernyk, Cardiff PhD student who also was involved in the delivery of outreach events, said: “Outside of my studies, I have always been passionate about equality and diversity in STEM subjects. I found the realization of my passion in supporting various events aimed at teaching the young generation to solve a wide range of problems. This included problems from daily life such as keeping track on important tasks, to global problems, such as climate change.”
The team is aiming to use the project to establish and build relationships with the local community in Cardiff and beyond.
Next steps
The team is aiming to use the project to establish and build relationships with the local community in Cardiff and beyond. Our hope is that this project will contribute to a reduction of the number of cybercrime cases in Cardiff and the region.
The recordings and material of the events delivered as part of the project are available on request. If you are a secondary school teacher interested in using the material for your class activities, please get in touch with Dr Yulia Cherdantseva.
Our local community projects
We use our wide range of expertise to support and deliver impactful community led projects alongside student and staff volunteers.
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Partners
Cardiff University is an associate member of the CyberFirst programme.
The project is also supported by a number of key partners including:
- Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales, part of the national roll out of Cyber Resilience Centres in the UK, led by policing with the aim to protect businesses and third sector organisations against cybercrime
- Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit, funded by the Home Office, Welsh Government and the three Southern Wales Police Forces. This multi-disciplinary team work as cyber-crime investigators, dedicated to disrupting and dismantling serious organised grime groups.
- Airbus Cyber Innovation, the team responsible for Airbus cyber security innovation around the globe, providing consultancy, ideation, development and expert services on the topics of IT, OT and product security.
- PwC, who contribute to the success of the Cyber Security and Technology (MSc) programme, by assisting with weekly guest lectures and supporting students to understand how cyber security is relevant in an ever changing business context. The masters programme was awarded best academic programme 2022 by Fintech Wales.
