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Cybersecurity I

Year 2 of the Cobra Cyber pathway. Dive into network security, cryptography, system administration, and the engineering design process. Emphasis on real-world security integration, ethical practice, and safeguarding an organization's information. Delivered via CodeHS in a blended classroom model.

TN CTE C10H19 Year 02 | Grade 10 8 Modules | 140 hrs CodeHS Platform Prereq: CSF (C10H11)
Year 01
CS Foundations
TN CTE C10H11
Year 02
Cybersecurity I
TN CTE C10H19
Year 03
Cybersecurity II
Advanced Cybersecurity
82%
of breaches involve the human element
Verizon DBIR 2024 — why this course exists
$4.88M
average cost of a data breach
IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024
4,200+
new CVEs published per month
NIST NVD — the threat landscape never stops
277
days to identify & contain a breach
IBM 2024 — detection skills matter
Quick Access // portals
↗ CodeHS Login ↗ CyberChef ↗ PicoCTF ↗ MITRE ATT&CK ↗ CyberWatch Weekly
Course Modules // CodeHS TN Cybersecurity I (course 25643)
MODULE 01 Cybersecurity and You ~3 weeks / 15 hrs ▾

Start by understanding your own digital exposure. Explore how data is collected about you, how to think critically about online information, and the legal and ethical frameworks that govern cybersecurity — then build foundational defense skills.

Topics

  • Digital footprint and responsibility
  • Personal data collection and security
  • Cyber ethics and laws
  • Cybersecurity essentials (AAA, CIA Triad)
  • Common cyber attacks and prevention
  • IoT's impact on data security

Sample assignments

  • Digital footprint social media analysis
  • Browser security settings exploration
  • Cyber ethics case study (copyright)
  • CIA Triad interactive activity
TN 1.1 Ethical Security TN 1.2 Breaches TN 1.3 Threats
MODULE 02 Cryptography ~2 weeks / 10 hrs ▾

Trace encryption from Caesar ciphers to AES and RSA. Understand the mathematical principles that keep data private in transit and at rest, and explore how digital certificates and authentication systems work.

Topics

  • History of cryptography
  • Symmetric encryption (AES, Rail Fence)
  • Asymmetric encryption (RSA)
  • Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
  • Hash functions
  • Authentication methods
  • Digital certificates

Sample assignments

  • Rail Fence cipher encrypt/decrypt
  • Public key encryption exploration
  • Guess the Hash (partner activity)
  • CyberChef encoding challenges
TN 11.1 History of Cryptology TN 11.2 Use of Cryptology
MODULE 03 System Administration ~3 weeks / 15 hrs ▾

Compare operating systems (Windows, Linux, macOS), configure user accounts with proper permissions, and develop command line proficiency. Learn how access control and software security policies protect real organizations.

Topics

  • Operating system comparison (Windows/Linux/macOS)
  • Software and application types
  • Application security
  • Browser configuration
  • User accounts and group permissions
  • Command line interface (CLI)
  • File and folder permissions

Sample assignments

  • Create a software license agreement
  • Set up family computer user groups
  • Configure school folder permission structure
  • Directory Directions CLI lab
TN 3.1 Access Control TN 3.2 Principles TN 3.3 Use of Controls TN 10.4 File/Folder Permissions
MODULE 04 IT Concepts ~4 weeks / 20 hrs ▾

Deep dive into how data moves across the internet — from binary encoding to TCP/IP stacks and the OSI model. Understand routing, packet switching, web protocols, and the societal impact of global connectivity.

Topics

  • Binary encoding of text and images
  • IP addressing (IPv4 / IPv6)
  • Routing and packet switching
  • Protocols: TCP, UDP, HTTP/HTTPS
  • How websites work
  • The OSI Model (7 layers)
  • Impact of the Internet on society

Sample assignments

  • Write a message in binary (ASCII)
  • OSI Troubleshooting: Tea-Riffic Blends Co.
  • Compass Points: Internet impact reflection
  • Trace a web request end-to-end
TN 5.1 OSI Model TN 5.2 TCP/IP vs OSI TN 5.3 Data Transmission TN 5.4 IPv4/IPv6
MODULE 05 IT Infrastructure ~7 weeks / 35 hrs ▾

The largest module of the course. Understand the physical layer: what's inside a computer, how peripheral devices connect, how networks are wired and managed. Includes SSH log analysis and wireless network design labs.

Topics

  • Internal components (CPU, RAM, motherboard)
  • Peripheral devices
  • Network devices (routers, switches, firewalls)
  • Storage options (HDD, SSD, RAID, cloud)
  • Network communication protocols
  • Network management
  • SSH logs and server administration

Sample assignments

  • Network troubleshooting scenario
  • Wireless network diagram design
  • SSH Logs: track the attacker
  • WAN vs LAN comparison
TN 4.1 LAN TN 4.2 Wireless TN 4.3 Routing TN 4.5 WAN TN 7.1 Network Security Devices TN 8.1 Networking Commands

Featured Lab: SSH Log Analysis

You've been tasked with investigating whether a server admin stole company financial data. A search warrant has been granted — dig into the SSH logs, identify patterns, and determine what happened. Real forensics workflow, simulated environment.

MODULE 06 Project: Inside Scoop on LANs ~2 weeks / 10 hrs ▾

Apply networking knowledge in a creative project: produce a magazine-style publication that explains LAN concepts to a non-technical audience. Practice communicating technical content clearly — a skill employers rate highly.

Topics

  • LAN methodologies
  • Network topologies (star, mesh, ring, bus)
  • Perimeter networks / DMZ
  • Ethernet standards (Cat5e, Cat6, fiber)
  • LAN cabling and connectors

Sample assignments

  • Advice column: best topology for scenario
  • Product review of LAN topologies
  • Magazine-style layout with diagrams
TN 4.1 LAN TN 6.1 Types of Networks TN 7.2 Secure Networks
MODULE 07 Data Security ~4 weeks / 20 hrs ▾

Understand the threats that target data — in databases, web applications, and code — and learn to prevent them. Hands-on: perform simulated SQL injection and XSS attacks, then implement defenses. Also covers risk management frameworks.

Topics

  • Data as an organizational resource
  • Databases and SQL
  • SQL injection (SQLi)
  • Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
  • Security in coding (Capture the Flag)
  • Environmental controls
  • Risk management process

Sample assignments

  • SQL Query exploration lab
  • Can you gain access? (SQLi challenge)
  • XSS Tutorial on vulnerable pages
  • CTF: find flags in page source
  • CyberGuard HS risk management plan
TN 2.1 Risk Management TN 2.2 Risk Assessment TN 9.2 Security Threats TN 9.4 Network Attacks

Featured Lab: Capture the Flag

Students use View Page Source and other browser developer tools to find hidden "flags" embedded in web pages — the same technique used by real penetration testers to find information disclosure vulnerabilities.

MODULE 08 Project: Engineering Design Process ~3 weeks / 15 hrs ▾

Capstone project using the full engineering design cycle. Teams identify a real cybersecurity or IT problem, collect and analyze data, prototype a solution, test it, and present findings — documented in an engineering design notebook for the portfolio.

Topics

  • Design thinking framework
  • Prototyping (Wizard of Oz method)
  • User testing techniques
  • Data collection and analysis
  • Project documentation
  • Presentation and reflection

Process steps

  • Problem identification and scoping
  • In-depth research and dataset analysis
  • Brainstorm and prototype solution
  • Test and iterate
  • Present findings to class + industry panel
TN 12.1 Team Project TN 9.1 Operating Systems TN 10.1 Security Procedures
TN CTE Standards // C10H19 — 12 domains
STANDARD 1
Cybersecurity Fundamentals
Ethical security practices, breach analysis using news sources, and threat/vulnerability/exploit research.
STANDARD 2
Risk Management
Define and apply risk management frameworks. Simulate ISO-based risk assessments and describe mitigation strategies (accept, mitigate, avoid, transfer).
STANDARD 3
Access Controls
Core concepts of authentication and authorization. Analyze administrative, logical, and physical controls. Demonstrate user account management techniques.
STANDARD 4
Networking Fundamentals
LAN topologies, Ethernet standards, cabling, wireless protocols (SSL/TLS), routing (static vs. dynamic), WAN technologies, and internet connectivity history.
STANDARD 5
Open Systems & Internet Protocol
OSI model, TCP/IP vs. OSI comparison, DNS/NAT/DHCP, IPv4 vs. IPv6, subnetting, and client-server networking in Windows environments.
STANDARD 6
Network Infrastructure & Security
Differences between Internet, Intranets, and Extranets. Network security methods: VPNs, firewalls, DMZ perimeter designs, and preventative technologies.
STANDARD 7
Network Security Components
Applications of network security devices. Design and demonstrate a simple secure network using security protocols, technology, and layered defense-in-depth.
STANDARD 8
Command Prompts
Analyze networking commands (ping, tracert, netstat, ipconfig, nslookup). Use CLI utilities to configure and examine network services.
STANDARD 9
Application Security & Host Systems
OS and file system security, social engineering and malware threats, CVEs, network attack types, and anti-virus software configuration.
STANDARD 10
Security Administration
Security procedures and baseline measures, storage device backup media, file/folder permissions in Windows and Linux, and security protocol analysis.
STANDARD 11
Cryptology
Historical evolution from classical ciphers to modern PKI. Compare symmetric and asymmetric methods and explain how cryptology protects data at rest and in transit.
STANDARD 12
Team Project
Engineering design process applied to a cybersecurity problem: problem identification, research, dataset analysis, prototype, test, and present. Aligned to CTSO events.
Key Vocabulary // study guide
AAA Security Framework
Authentication (who are you?), Authorization (what can you do?), Accounting (what did you do?). The three pillars of access management in any security system.
Symmetric Encryption
Same key encrypts and decrypts (e.g., AES). Fast, but the key must be shared securely. Used for bulk data encryption — disk drives, databases, file archives.
Asymmetric Encryption
Two mathematically linked keys: a public key (shared freely) and a private key (kept secret). RSA is the classic example. Used in TLS, SSH, email signing, and PKI.
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
The system of digital certificates, Certificate Authorities, and policies that allow entities to securely verify each other's identity over untrusted networks like the Internet.
Hash Function
A one-way function that produces a fixed-length digest from any input. SHA-256 always outputs 64 hex characters. Used for password storage, file integrity, and digital signatures.
OSI Model
7-layer framework: Physical → Data Link → Network → Transport → Session → Presentation → Application. Troubleshoot networks by isolating the failing layer.
SQL Injection (SQLi)
Attacker inserts SQL commands into an input field to manipulate a database — extract, modify, or delete data. One of OWASP's top 10 web vulnerabilities for 20+ years.
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
Attacker injects malicious JavaScript into a trusted website. When a victim loads the page, the script executes in their browser — stealing cookies, credentials, or redirecting sessions.
DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)
A perimeter network segment that sits between the internet and the internal network. Public-facing servers (web, email, DNS) live here so a breach doesn't reach internal systems.
Risk Management
Systematic process: Identify → Assess → Prioritize → Mitigate. Four responses to any identified risk: Accept, Mitigate, Avoid, or Transfer (e.g., to insurance).
Principle of Least Privilege
Every user, process, or system should have only the minimum access rights needed to do its job — nothing more. Limits blast radius when credentials are compromised.
Social Engineering
Manipulating people rather than machines. Phishing, pretexting, tailgating, vishing. The #1 attack vector because humans are harder to patch than software.
Learning Resources // tools & references
CodeHS All Cyber I modules, exercises, simulations, and CTF labs. Log in daily. ↗ codehs.com (course 25643) CyberChef Encode, decode, hash, and encrypt data in the browser. Essential for Module 2 crypto work. ↗ gchq.github.io/CyberChef PicoCTF Carnegie Mellon's free CTF platform. Practice cryptography, web exploitation, and forensics challenges. ↗ picoctf.org MITRE ATT&CK The knowledge base of adversary tactics and techniques. Map real breaches to the framework. ↗ attack.mitre.org NIST NVD National Vulnerability Database — look up CVEs, CVSS scores, and patch status for any known vulnerability. ↗ nvd.nist.gov CyberWatch Weekly Real-world incident briefings updated weekly. Connects coursework to current events. ↗ kihsweb.net/cyber-incidents.html