Basically when it comes to learning a new thing that I think I know a fair bit about, but in reality I don’t actually know that much. I like to have a bit of info to read up on so I know what I’m heading into. I don’t want to turn up and realise I have no clue what’s been said.
Does anyone have any info or links to point me in the right direction please as I don’t want to waste my time or the instructors time.
I did email back and forth with our wing cyber chap explaining I struggle learning new things when I don’t have any clue to begin with, but the final email didn’t contain any links or info. Just the words ‘Can I add your name to the list’
Bronze Cyber is very much an awareness course and needs little in depth knowledge of computers.
The best prep I’d suggest is to read around the subject, to see what’s in the news. BBC News is as good a place as any to start: read (or watch) Gordon Carerra’s reports. Or look for coverage of cyber in a ‘quality’ paper. The FT runs regular cyber reports which are good primers.
Bronze Cyber is an introduction to you understanding the risks to the individual, work and nation as a whole because of the interconnection of everything via the Internet.
It requires no computer skills, as you are guided by the trainer through the different aspects of your own use of the Internet, Social media etc, the risks of being unprotected (not just antivirus) in how you present information openly on the Internet, access items that could be a risk to yours or others networked systems.
You are involved in discussions on how we use the Internet, carry out research into current threats, consider your own use of the Cyber World and how protected you are, and generally build up an awareness of how you should think when communicating across the Internet.
At the bronze stage it is the theory and practice of being safe online and how the Cyber World can pose a threat to our nation in the way we use it.
Silver (still being developed), will look more into the technical side of the Internet, its threats and methods to overcome them.
While Gold requires more computer knowledge to actually follow practical tasks to interrogate and test systems for their vulnerabilities and how to configure systems to make them less of a risk
The course content is very much protected and cannot be disseminated to those unqualified to teach it - but only to maintain the integrity of the course. That might explain why no links were forthcoming.
Most of it is common sense though. Essentially you will be doing cyber safety, cyber security and a few case studies. The technical stuff is not too technical and there’s plenty of videos that explain the slightly more complicated bits.
Again, happy for you to PM me if you have any questions.
Cheers for the replies, I just dread courses ran within Cadets. I’ve banned my kids from having anything to do with power point in my house
I’ve got a teacher friend and she’s going to send me cyber related info that they teach the kids in her school so I can get my brain cell around it. I live on my computer and know how not to get caught out online, but I would struggle to teach it to anyone else as I don’t have a teaching bone in my body
Indeed. We seem to have ceded control to Cosford to aid in their Cyber Recruiting task. I have many concerns with the direction, content and chosen methods exhibited by the radio and cyber team.
Looking at the cyber thing this must be covered off in schools, and probably in IT GCSEs especially if it includes programming, given the profile of online safety in all its guises in the media. Also I know several staff who are involved in writing, implementing and supporting business systems and could probably instruct in this without the course. But it seems the IT nerds won’t let the info out. It can’t be a security thing, surely.
I was particularly perturbed to learn that cadets were essentially being encouraged to “stalk” CFAVs that they know to try to find out information on them. I don’t know if that’s the practice everywhere, but I know of a couple of examples.
At the TtT I attended, we worked in groups to see what information we could find about the other team members using the Internet. It develops awareness of the importance of security settings on social media and can be an eye-opener.
We aren’t hiding in bushes, rummaging through your litter or following your kids to school!
I’ve not been on the course, but know the instructors in the Wing as I am an instructor on the radio courses and asked what it covered
The above is correct – at least that is what they told me.
The course considers online information and the Cadets are tasked to find out details of the other team – I can well imagine in an example a CFAV was picked particularly on a TtT course. Perhaps one instructor took this further than intended and suggested when delivering this to Cadets they do the same to their Squadron OC or other Staff.
I’ve got nothing to hide, but a heads up would have been nice!
It’s a bit disconcerting when cadets suddenly come up to you asking questions about things from 10 years ago, because they’ve found an obscure article.
Other than a couple of inconsequential sports articles, and a mentioned-by-name-only appearance in the local rag for a couple of cadet things I’m pretty locked down.
