🔐Course Curriculum

Ethical Hacking Basics

Cybersecurity· Beginner· Ages 16–17· 20 Hours

Course At a Glance

Program Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1
Understand fundamental cybersecurity concepts and the ethical responsibilities of hackers.
2
Identify common cyber threats and vulnerabilities in digital systems.
3
Apply basic security practices to protect personal and organisational data.
4
Demonstrate responsible and ethical behaviour in cybersecurity environments.

Module 1

Introduction to Cybersecurity & Ethical Hacking

Students are introduced to cybersecurity fundamentals, the CIA Triad, hacker types, malware, social engineering, and the ethical hacking methodology.

Approx. 5 hrs

#	Lesson Title	What Students Learn	Activity / Project	Key Concepts / Tools
1.1	What is Cybersecurity?	Understand the CIA Triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability). Review real-world data breaches.	Case Study Analysis: Analyse Equifax, Target, and WannaCry breaches. Identify CIA violations.	`CIA Triad, breach, vulnerability, data protection`
1.2	Types of Hackers & Legal Boundaries	Distinguish white, black, and grey hat hackers. Understand the Computer Misuse Act and GDPR.	Role Sorting Activity: Classify hacker scenarios and debate the line between ethical and unethical.	`White/black/grey hat, penetration tester, Computer Misuse Act, GDPR, bug bounty`
1.3	Cyber Threat Landscape	Survey malware, phishing, DoS/DDoS, and insider threats. Reference the MITRE ATT&CK framework.	Threat Map: Create a visual threat landscape classifying 10 attack types by actor, method, and asset.	`Malware, phishing, DoS/DDoS, social engineering, MITRE ATT&CK`
1.4	Malware: Types & How It Works	Deep-dive into viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, keyloggers, and spyware vectors.	Malware Analysis: Identify malware types from scenarios and design a prevention poster.	`Virus, worm, trojan, ransomware, keylogger, spyware, infection vectors`
1.5	Social Engineering & Phishing	Understand psychological manipulation via phishing, vishing, and smishing.	Spot the Phish: Analyse 8 real (redacted) phishing emails. Score them on a suspicion scale.	`Phishing, spear-phishing, vishing, smishing, pretexting, social engineering indicators`
1.6	Careers in Cybersecurity	Explore roles (Pen Tester, SOC Analyst) and certifications (Security+, CEH, CISSP).	Career Research: Research a cybersecurity role and present a 2-minute 'career spotlight'.	`Penetration tester, SOC analyst, incident responder, Security+, CEH, red/blue team`
1.7	The Hacking Process: Ethical Methodology	Learn the ethical hacking phases: Reconnaissance → Scanning → Gaining Access → Maintaining Access → Covering Tracks.	Methodology Mapping: Map out a penetration testing scope and rules of engagement for a fictional company.	`Recon, scanning, exploitation, pen test methodology, rules of engagement, scope`
1.8	Module 1 Review & Ethics Case Studies	Consolidate concepts by applying legal and ethical reasoning to cybersecurity dilemmas.	Ethics Tribunal: Debate and vote on responses to 4 cybersecurity dilemmas using legal frameworks.	`Full Module 1 — CIA Triad, ethics, threat types, hacker types, methodology`

Module 2

Networking Fundamentals

Students learn how the internet works: IP addresses, DNS, TCP/IP, ports, network devices, OSINT reconnaissance, and firewalls.

Approx. 5 hrs

#	Lesson Title	What Students Learn	Activity / Project	Key Concepts / Tools
2.1	How the Internet Works	Understand ISPs, routers, and packets. Trace web requests via IP addresses and DNS.	Trace the Route: Use 'traceroute' to map the path of web requests to various global websites.	`IP address, DNS, packet, router, hop, traceroute, ISP`
2.2	IP Addresses, Subnets & MAC Addresses	Distinguish public/private IPs, IPv4/IPv6, subnets (CIDR), and hardware MAC addresses.	Network Discovery: Use ipconfig/ifconfig to find local IP/MAC data. Perform IP geolocation lookups.	`IPv4, IPv6, private ranges, CIDR /24, MAC address, ipconfig/ifconfig, subnet mask`
2.3	Protocols: TCP/IP, UDP, HTTP & HTTPS	Compare TCP (reliable) vs. UDP (fast). Understand unencrypted HTTP vs. TLS/SSL encrypted HTTPS.	Protocol Identifier: Match 10 scenarios to their protocols. Compare HTTP/HTTPS browser warnings.	`TCP, UDP, HTTP, HTTPS, TLS/SSL, FTP, SSH, SMTP, three-way handshake`
2.4	Ports & Services	Learn well-known ports (80, 443, 22, 21) and understand open ports as attack surfaces.	Port Knowledge Quiz: Match services to ports. Analyze a fictional server's open ports for risks.	`Port 80/443/22/21/25/53/3389, well-known ports, attack surface, services`
2.5	Network Topology & Devices	Identify routers, switches, firewalls, and proxies. Understand network segmentation and DMZs.	Network Design: Draw a secure network diagram for a small business, labeling the DMZ and firewall.	`Router, switch, firewall, DMZ, proxy, network segmentation, topology`
2.6	Passive Reconnaissance (OSINT)	Gather intelligence legally without interacting with targets via WHOIS, Google Dorks, and Shodan.	OSINT on a Fictional Target: Gather intelligence on a fictional profile using OSINT techniques.	`OSINT, WHOIS, Google dorking (site:, filetype:), Shodan (concept), Wayback Machine`
2.7	Firewalls, IDS & Network Security	Understand stateful/stateless firewalls, IDS/IPS detection, and Web Application Firewalls (WAF).	Firewall Rule Builder: Write ALLOW/DENY firewall rules in plain English for a given security policy.	`Firewall rules, stateful/stateless, IDS/IPS, WAF, allow/deny, packet filtering`
2.8	Module 2 Project: Network Security Audit	Conduct a theoretical network security audit assessing firewall rules and open ports.	Audit Report: Write an audit report based on a fictional network diagram, identifying risks and recommending improvements.	`Full Module 2 — IP, ports, protocols, OSINT, firewall rules, audit report`

Module 3

Common Vulnerabilities & Security Practices

Students explore passwords, encryption, OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities, CVEs, endpoint security, and the NIST incident response lifecycle.

Approx. 5 hrs

#	Lesson Title	What Students Learn	Activity / Project	Key Concepts / Tools
3.1	Password Security & Authentication	Understand dictionary attacks, hashes (bcrypt), rainbow tables, salting, and MFA.	Password Strength Audit: Evaluate 10 passwords. Check HaveIBeenPwned for breached accounts.	`Brute force, dictionary attack, rainbow table, hashing, bcrypt, salting, MFA, HIBP`
3.2	Encryption Fundamentals	Distinguish symmetric (AES) and asymmetric (RSA) encryption. Understand TLS and E2E encryption.	Encryption Demonstration: Perform a Caesar cipher by hand, then compare with an online AES encryption tool.	`AES (symmetric), RSA (asymmetric), TLS handshake, E2E encryption, Caesar cipher`
3.3	Common Web Vulnerabilities	Understand the OWASP Top 10 conceptually: SQL Injection, XSS, and Broken Authentication.	OWASP Analysis: Identify attack vectors in simplified vulnerability examples and suggest conceptual preventions.	`OWASP Top 10, SQL injection, XSS, broken authentication, input validation, prepared statements`
3.4	Vulnerability Assessment & CVEs	Read CVE database entries, understand CVSS scoring, and learn the patching lifecycle.	CVE Research Task: Look up 3 real CVEs. Identify affected software, score, and patch availability.	`CVE, CVSS score (0–10), zero-day, patch, responsible disclosure, vulnerability lifecycle`
3.5	Secure Browsing & Privacy	Understand browser fingerprinting, VPNs (privacy vs. security), and tracking cookies.	Privacy Audit: Check browser fingerprint via Panopticlick. Evaluate VPN services against a security checklist.	`HTTPS, cookies, VPN, browser fingerprinting, tracking, privacy vs security`
3.6	Endpoint Security & Antivirus	Compare Antivirus vs. EDR. Understand patch management and the principle of least privilege.	Security Audit Checklist: Audit a personal device (updates, unused apps, antivirus definitions).	`Antivirus, EDR, signature-based, behavioural detection, patch management, least privilege`
3.7	Incident Response & Cyber Hygiene	Follow the NIST Incident Response lifecycle (Preparation to Recovery) and the 3-2-1 backup rule.	Incident Simulation: Work through a simulated phishing breach using the NIST response framework.	`NIST IR lifecycle, 3-2-1 backup rule, containment, eradication, recovery, cyber hygiene`
3.8	Module 3 Project: Security Recommendations Report	Synthesize vulnerability and endpoint knowledge into an actionable security report.	Security Report: Write a 1-page Security Recommendations Report for 'Acme Ltd' estimating implementation costs.	`Full Module 3 — passwords, encryption, OWASP, CVE, endpoint security, IR`

Module 4

Cybersecurity Project & Simulation

Students apply knowledge in controlled, legal training labs (TryHackMe), perform risk assessments, and design security awareness campaigns.

Approx. 5 hrs

#	Lesson Title	What Students Learn	Activity / Project	Key Concepts / Tools
4.1	Controlled Lab Environments & Legal Frameworks	Understand virtualisation (VMs) and strict legal boundaries. Sign the course Ethics Agreement.	Ethics Pledge & Platform Orientation: Sign the pledge and create a TryHackMe account. Complete the 'Welcome' room.	`VM, virtualisation, DVWA, TryHackMe, Hack The Box (legal training platforms)`
4.2	Introduction to Linux for Security	Learn essential Linux commands (ls, cd, cat, grep, chmod) and navigate filesystems.	Linux Command Lab: Complete the TryHackMe 'Linux Fundamentals' room. Screenshot completed tasks.	`ls, cd, cat, grep, chmod, ps, netstat, ifconfig, sudo, /etc, /home, /var`
4.3	Reconnaissance Tools (Authorised Use Only)	Understand nmap port scanning conceptually. Use WHOIS/DNS tools in authorized labs.	Recon Lab on TryHackMe: Complete a passive recon room to gather target intelligence securely.	`nmap (concept), WHOIS, nslookup, dig, Shodan (concept), TryHackMe rooms`
4.4	Password Cracking Concepts & Defence	Conceptualize how Hashcat/John the Ripper crack hashes using wordlists like RockYou.	Hash Challenge (TryHackMe): Identify and crack pre-hashed passwords using provided wordlist references.	`MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, bcrypt, wordlist, Hashcat (concept), John the Ripper (concept)`
4.5	Web Application Security Simulation	Experience SQLi/XSS conceptually in DVWA or TryHackMe to understand attacker perspectives.	DVWA/TryHackMe Web Lab: Complete a beginner SQL injection room and document prevention techniques.	`SQL injection (training), XSS (training), DVWA, input validation, prepared statements`
4.6	Risk Assessment Methodology	Calculate Risk (Likelihood × Impact). Apply the NIST Cybersecurity Framework to assess systems.	Risk Assessment: Assess a fictional startup (10-person). Score likelihood/impact and categorize on a risk matrix.	`Risk = Likelihood × Impact, risk matrix, NIST CSF: Identify/Protect/Detect/Respond/Recover`
4.7	Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign	Design educational campaigns utilizing behavioral science to combat human-error breaches.	Campaign Build: Create an awareness poster, 'Quick Tips' card, and video storyboard for a specific audience.	`Security awareness, phishing simulation, user education, behaviour change`
4.8	Final Project: Cybersecurity Presentation & Assessment	Present a complete risk assessment and awareness campaign demonstrating ethical responsibility.	Final Presentation: Present risk findings, security recommendations, and the awareness campaign to peers.	`Full course — CIA Triad, threats, networks, vulnerabilities, risk, ethics`

Teaching Notes & Tips

Pacing Guidance

Each module contains 8 lessons (~35–40 mins). Module 1 is discussion-heavy (ethics). Module 4 requires internet access for TryHackMe labs; have paper-based or offline VM alternatives ready.

Differentiation

Advanced students can explore TryHackMe SOC Level 1 paths, PicoCTF, or setting up a personal Kali Linux VM. Support students should focus on conceptual case studies with simplified tool usage.

Assessment Criteria

Final capstone assessed on: (1) Technical Knowledge (threats/defences). (2) Ethical Reasoning (legal boundaries). (3) Risk Assessment Quality (scoring). (4) Awareness Campaign. (5) Presentation Clarity.

Tools & Platforms

TryHackMe (free accounts, browser-based VMs), DVWA (Damn Vulnerable Web App via Docker), CyberChef (encryption), HaveIBeenPwned. No commercial or licensed tools required.

CRITICAL: Ethical & Legal Boundaries

All practical activities must occur ONLY on TryHackMe, teacher VMs, or local DVWA. Students must NEVER scan, probe, or test real systems (including the school network). All students must sign the Ethics Agreement.

Prior Knowledge Expected

Students should be comfortable using browsers, managing files, and navigating software. Basic programming (e.g. Python) is helpful for scripting concepts but not strictly required. No prior networking experience necessary.

Enroll Your Child Now