The Badge Archive

Bare Minimum to hit GSUSA Requirements:

• Read the following information.
• Use the GSUSA Caesar Cipher activity.

Required Information:

Step 1: Ciphers are essential tools for maintaining the security of information. They work by transforming data into a code, making it unreadable to anyone who does not have the correct key. A cipher key, such as “shift by three,” provides the rule needed to decode the encrypted message, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access the original information. Computers use a similar process called encryption to protect sensitive details, such as names, addresses, phone numbers, and payment information, especially when making purchases or communicating online. Encryption ensures that private information remains safe and accessible only to the intended recipients.

Step 2: For a secure password: Use the VTK Password Checklist by GSUSA. Never reuse passwords across accounts. Change your password if you think it’s been hacked. Hackers can crack passwords in two main ways: Dictionary Attack: Hackers use lists of common passwords to guess quickly. Brute Force Attack: Hackers try every possible combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Longer passwords with mixed characters take much more time to crack.

Step 3: Two-factor authentication is like having two locks on your account. You need something you know (like your password) and something you have (like a code sent to your phone). It keeps your account safer because even if someone guesses your password, they wouldn’t have your phone to get the code. Plus, the code changes with a short time period, so it’s really hard for hackers to break in!

Step 4: A computer network is a group of devices, like computers or phones, that are connected to share information. When you send a message, it’s broken into smaller parts called packets that travel through the network to reach the person you’re sending it to. Sometimes, attackers can spy on these packets or even change them—this is called a “Man-in-the-Middle” attack. Using secure networks helps keep your messages safe from attackers.

Step 5: Some offers, like prizes or big discounts, might seem exciting at first, but they can be tricks from scammers. Scouts should think about whether they’ve seen similar offers before and learn to spot scams by looking for clues like urgent messages or asking for personal information. Remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Always check if an offer or organization is real before clicking or sharing anything.

Alternatives:

• The GSUSA VTK meeting plans spans two 90 minute meetings and dives in deeper to each topic to reinforce the basic information.
• A single 90-minute Basic Meeting Plan compiled by The Badge Archive is also available that gives a good mix between this bare minimum requirement and the two meeting VTK plan.
• Choose your own activities from the Cadette Cybersecurity Basics Activity List.

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• Return to the Cadette Badge List.

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