The Badge Archive

• Fulfills Step 4 and 5 of GSUSA Brownie Cybersecurity Investigator badge requirements.
• Leaders – please be aware of double dipping and make your own informed choice.

Info Needed for badge requirements: Computer Viruses enter your system’s code and take resources in order to replicate, causing performance issues. It can slow a computer down, corrupt or delete files, crash programs and systems, keep your hard drive spinning, glitch apps and programs, create pop-ups and ads, or steal your data.

There are six basic viruses:

• Direct Action – attach to a file and cause chaos then delete themselves.
• Boot Sector – attach to hardware (like USB drives or CDs) and attack the boot sectors (which load your operating system when you turn it on)
• Resident – has multiple entry ways, but always attacks the RAM (your computer memory)
• Multipartite – also has multiple entry ways, and attacks your files AND your boot sector.
• Polymorphic – this one changes shape by replicating slightly different each time.
• Macro – attach word document files and attack when you enable macros when you open the file.

There are four basic ways to prevent a Computer Virus:

• Anti-Virus Software – They can detect threats and catch viruses before they infect your system.
• User Safety – Computer users need to be aware. Do not ignore warning signs online or in emails. Do not use untrusty files, programs, or hardware. Only download apps or software from trusted developers.
• Avoid Ads – Don’t click on ads or pop-ups. Do a separate internet search if you are interested.
• Updates – Keep your operating system, programs, and apps updated.

Items Needed

Items Needed

• Virus Die (print, cut out, and assemble in advance)
• Copy of Reference Sheet
• Players: 1 leader and at least 4 scouts

Instructions

Set Up

1. Choose Safety Groups:
   • Have scouts pick a type of Safety! (virus protection) to represent: User Safety, Avoid Ads, Updates, or Anti-Virus Software.
   • Divide the troop into 4 groups based on the chosen Safety! types. Scouts can adjust group sizes if they feel one type of protection is too weak.
   • Each scout remembers their assigned Safety! type and cannot change it during the game.
   • Example: In a troop of 10 scouts, there might be 3 User Safety, 2 Avoid Ads, 2 Updates, and 3 Anti-Virus Software.
2. Determine the Attacks:
   • Decide as a group how many attacks they think they can handle. The recommended maximum is 2–3 fewer than the total number of scouts (e.g., for 12 scouts, set a max of 9–10 attacks).
3. Formation:
   • Scouts stand on one side of the room grouped by their Safety! type.
   • The leader stands on the opposite side of the room.

Playing the Game

1. Rolling the Virus Die:
   • The leader rolls the Virus Die.
2. Responding to the Virus:
   • If the rolled virus matches a Safety! type listed on the Reference Sheet, one scout from the appropriate group moves to the leader’s side of the room.
   • If no scout has the Safety! type needed to stop the virus, the virus wins, and the game starts over.
3. Continue the Game:
   • Keep rolling the Virus Die until the agreed number of attacks is complete.
   • Either the leader rolls each time, or the scout who just crossed over can take the next roll.
4. Winning the Game:
   • If the scouts successfully counter all the attacks, they win.
   • If the virus wins during any attack, the game restarts.

Example Scenario

• A Macro Virus is rolled. Scouts labeled as User Safety, Anti-Virus, or Avoid Ads can step forward to stop it.
• If only scouts labeled as Updates remain, and Updates cannot stop the Macro Virus, the virus wins.