Uncover students’ hidden talent for cyber security with over 200 free challenges
Join over 3k teachers and parents helping thousands of 13-18 year olds across the UK, become the next leaders in cyber security.
Registration for this programme is now closed.
Join Cyber Discovery, HM Government’s free online extracurricular programme
There are thousands of talented teenagers across the UK that have the power to become future cyber security experts. They just haven’t been discovered yet.
Cyber Discovery is the most effective and fun way for students to master technical skills and security concepts, as a gateway to the industry or just to up their digital skills! As they embark on their journey, they will become an agent for the virtual Cyber Protection Agency, where they will stop criminal gangs who are using their cyber skills to do damage online. Your students will have a go at real-world cyber attacks, learning how cyber security experts play a vital role in protecting our hospitals, banks, army, and police services!
By learning through our gamified environment, your students will cover complex security disciplines such as cryptography, password cracking and digital forensics, via exploration, investigation and problem solving.
Help us uncover, support, and train a new generation, in one of the most in-demand skillsets in the UK, by running a Cyber Discovery club.
A number of our students have now gained work experience placements, and jobs working in cyber security
A Club Leader’s role
You don’t have to be a computer science teacher to get involved: we provide everything you need to run your own Cyber Discovery club. If you have time, space, and a laptop – you’re ready to go! You can use the programme as an extracurricular club or in lessons.
Who can play
Whether your students are beginners with a casual interest or a keen programmer, Cyber Discovery is for everyone. Many don’t think they have what it takes and are astonished at their results when they put their team-work, problem solving and determination to the test.
To take part students must be 13-18 years old and live in the UK.
Your questions answered
- As a club leader, can I access SANS Foundation?
- One of my students was given access to Essentials but I have not been sent a licence code to access SANS Foundations for myself, how do I get one?
- Why can't I see my students' progress in Essentials in my club leader CyberStart dashboard?
Head on over to our FAQ's.
Your Cyber Discovery journey
Throughout students' Cyber Discovery journey, they will tackle hundreds of hours’ worth of challenges, tasks and games across four stages. As students progress through the programme, the challenges get harder, but don’t worry, we provide all the learning material and resources students need to progress at their own pace during each stage.
Stage one involves working through a set of highly interactive challenges, each harder than the last. The quicker students complete the challenges in CyberStart Assess, the faster they unlock the next stage of the programme.
Once through from CyberStart Assess students be invited to play CyberStart Game! CyberStart Game involves a suite of over 200 online challenges to explore across 4 exciting bases (including a Volcano base!) and focuses on self-learning.
Students who have completed at least one challenge in level six of HQ base in CyberStart Game will be invited to CyberStart Essentials. Students will get to grips with the basics of advanced security topics and concepts.
Well done. I wish this was on the National Curriculum. These are the digital skills our children need.
Registration for this programme is now closed.
Take a closer look
Do you have what it takes to become the next cyber security superstar? You owe it to yourself to find out! Put your skills, passion and persistence to the test with our fun challenges in CyberStart Assess
Ready to outsmart power-mad cyborgs and show the ‘bots who’s boss? Battle through a series of online challenges and start defending the digital world with your problem solving skills!
Crack the codes, find the flags and deal with real-life cyber dilemmas as you boost practical and theoretical knowledge and build an impressive set of cyber credentials.
Join a virtual cyber protection agency in CyberStart Game! Step up, crack codes, find security flaws and dissect criminal’s digital trails in the number one platform to develop cyber potential
I absolutely loved taking part! I got pretty hooked on the rush of investigation and problem solving.
Sign up to play CyberStart Game and you’ll learn code breaking, ethical hacking and digital forensics. From binary to programming, you’ll develop skills by playing fun challenges designed and built by an expert team of security professionals.
With over 200+ immersive challenges through 4 themed bases and a range of awesome scenes to keep you entertained, it’s an addictive way to become a cyber pro!
Over 30,000 students are already loving this stage. Don’t play catch up – take advantage of the awesome opportunity to play CyberStart Game now and take your cyber training to the next level.
Aspiring for cyber greatness? You’ve come to the right stage. Featuring hundreds of hours of rich content, CyberStart Essentials will transform you from a successful agent into one ready for industry!
Go further with deeper learning and discover more advanced security topics such as pen testing and networking. Then train your brain to think like an expert with interactive labs, videos and quizzes.
Covering a broad range of advanced security topics such as exploitation and pen testing tools, CyberStart Essentials stretches your scope on the industry’s awesome opportunities and preps you to secure the role of your cyber dreams!
You’ll learn at your own pace through videos, interactive labs and quizzes.
Congratulations to Georgie who has managed to progress to @CyberDiscUK CyberStart Essentials! Onwards and upwards 🚀
— Woldingham Computer Science (@ComputerSc_Wold) March 6, 2019
I was genuinely disappointed when Essentials closed, because it meant I lost access to an amazing resource that went well beyond what I had learnt in both GCSE and A-Level classes.
Registration for this programme is now closed.
Be part of an exciting community
Students and teachers from around the country are engaging with the Cyber Discovery programme. Join them and be part of the conversation.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Medium.
I speak from personal experience when I say that I can't reccommend Cyber Discovery enough to students @RendcombCollege it’s an amazing program to develop skills outside of the curriculum. It has opened up fantastic opportunities for myself, from attending elite to career options https://t.co/O0N8RKhvmm
— Robert Sharman (@RJ_Sharman) June 2, 2020
just finished my first @CyberDiscUK webinar...was really good, will deffo be joining in again! (a good revision of linux command line. hoping for something "super hard" in the next one!
— Ben Gristwood (@Mr_G_ICT) May 14, 2020
Day 12 of my #100DaysOfCode, I didn't do much programming other than work today. However I did complete the challenges over on @CyberDiscUK, stuck on two of them though. They're super fun, but you have to think out of the box... 👀️
— Bailey Matthews (@BaileyJM02) June 2, 2020
Registration for this programme is now closed.
SANS Institute
Cyber Discovery is delivered by SANS Institute for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. SANS is the global leader in cyber security training and certification.
Press
For any press enquires please contact SANS on
0203 384 3470 or DCMS press office on 020 7211 2210
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