You’re the Cyber Security Expert

Two video clips are included in this presentation. Link directly via your internet connection from the PPT slide, or download from the resource link beforehand.

RESOURCE OVERVIEW:

In this lesson, pupils are challenged by a cyber security expert, to develop their knowledge of cyber-crime. As a class, pupils think about how a criminal might try and discover the secret number on a physical combination padlock and write an algorithm for this.

Pupils subsequently apply this to a digital context, by exploring a program which illustrates how cyber criminals might use computers to try and discover secret numbers, such as pins, or even passwords. In doing so, pupils learn about the use of variables and conditional loops in code, and how to create stronger, more secure pins and passwords.

PUPIL OBJECTIVES:

Computer Science

• I can write an algorithm
• I can identify the need for variables
• I can work with variables in my program
• I can use a conditional loop in my program

Digital Literacy

• I can explain how to make passwords more secure

TEACHING ASSESSMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

Informal teacher assessment of understanding during the lesson and assessment of pupils’ completed programs.

Key understanding to assess:

• Can pupils write the algorithm for finding the secret number for the combination lock? Is their approach systematic?
• Can pupils use their algorithm to correctly combine the commands?
• Can pupils work with variables?
• Can pupils use a conditional loop?
• Can pupils explain how to make more secure passwords?

LESSON TIMING: 1 hour