The Cyber Security Academy is back for another year! Join us online for our 5-day FREE Cyber Security Academy. This is open to all 4th and 5th year students aged 16 years or above. Suitable for beginner and advanced students. 

• When: Monday 12th to Friday 16th June 2023
• Time: 11.00am to 3.00pm
• Where: Online
• Cost: Free

Register your interest at www.cyberfutures.ie/cyberacademy/

Students that complete the course are awarded a digital badge.

Who is delivering the course?
The Cyber Security Academy and Cyber Futures are initiatives of Cyber Skills and Cyber Ireland. The course will be delivered by lecturers from the Cyber Skills project with lab support from research students at Cyber Skills’ partner institutes, Munster Technological University, University of Limerick, and Technological University Dublin. 

Why participate in the course?
The overall aim of the academy is to encourage an interest in and awareness of cyber security careers through technical training. You do not need to have any level of technical knowledge, as the exercises are designed to accommodate both complete beginners and students with existing technical knowledge. Cyber security is part of everyday life and business, and whether you pursue a college choice leading to cyber security or not, we hope that you enjoy this course and that it will serve you well into the future.

Opportunities in Ireland
The cyber security sector employed 7,350* people in Ireland in 2022. This number is growing all the time as companies seek to protect themselves and respond to ongoing cyber threats. It also means that there is a skills shortage. The Cyber Security Industry is working with Academic Institutions in Ireland to address this skills shortage and ensure that there will be a new generation of trained professionals capable of preventing and responding to attacks on business and society well into the future.

Topics covered on the Academy

1. Cryptography
   Cryptography is integral to our online world. Online shopping, banking and communication all rely on cryptography to work effectively. As part of this course, you will learn how this cryptography works and how you can set-up encryption to keep all your own messages and communications safe.
   
   
2. Ethical Hacking
   Ethical hacking is legally breaking into computers and devices to test an organization's defences. As part of this course, you will develop the ethical hacker mindset by learning the fundamentals of command-line programming, attack frameworks, penetration testing and more.
   
   
3. Capture-the-Flag Exercise
   Capture-the-Flag is a fun and safe environment to learn what hackers do and the tools they use. It is a chance to practice the skills you learn during the academy as you face a series of fun challenges, getting more and more difficult, as you attempt to earn the most points. Rather than a race, this style of gameplay encourages taking time to approach challenges in new and interesting ways. 

How to join
We are now taking expressions of interest in the course. To sign up, please go to www.cyberfutures.ie/cyberacademy/
We will then be in contact to finalise places on the course.

*State of the Cyber Security Sector in Ireland 2022, Cyber Skills and Cyber Ireland