The Badge Archive

Fulfills Step 5 of GSUSA Senior Cybersecurity Safeguards badge requirements.

Info Needed for the badge requirements: Smart devices in homes include phones, tablets, smart thermostats, home security cameras, and more. These devices make life more convenient, help save energy, and provide safety features like alerts for intruders. However, they also come with risks, such as hacking, data collection, outdated security measures, and the ability to listen and send conversations without you knowing. Any device connected to the internet, from toasters to cars, can be hacked or exploited. For example, hackers have accessed baby monitors to spy on babies or controlled cameras and thermostats without permission. Some smart devices, like voice assistants or connected microphones, can listen for commands and may unintentionally record or send conversations, creating privacy concerns. To stay safe, use strong passwords and never share them, install updates regularly, and research smart products to understand what data the company collects and how they handle voice or audio recordings.

Items Needed

• 30 scenario cards (one for each potential smart device issue – see list below)
• The 4 safety tips printed out and displayed on a board or as small reference cards for each team (see the listed safety tips below)
• Pen and paper for the scorekeeper to track team points
• (optional) Pens/pencils and paper for notes

Instructions

1. Divide scouts into teams of 3–5. Provide each team with a copy of the 4 safety tips as their reference guide or have them posted on a display board.
2. Shuffle the 30 scenario cards and place them face down in a central stack. Assign a timekeeper and a scorekeeper to oversee the game (these can be the two troop leaders).
3. Make sure everyone knows the order of play: Each team takes turns drawing one scenario card from the stack. The team reads the scenario aloud, discusses it, and determines which safety tip(s) apply to solving the issue. Teams must explain their reasoning briefly (e.g., “This scenario involves hacking into a thermostat, so using strong passwords and installing updates would help prevent it.”).
4. Before starting the first round, decide on the timing rule the troop wants to use:
   • 30 seconds per turn: Teams have 30 seconds from drawing the scenario card to presenting their answer. After 30 seconds, discussion stops and only the spokesperson speaks, without input from others.
   • 1 minute per turn: Teams have 1 minute to draw the card, discuss, and present their answer. Once the time is up, any input beyond the limit is not counted by the scorekeeper.
5. After presenting their solution, the scorekeeper awards points:
   • 2 Points for correctly identifying a relevant safety tip.
   • 1 Bonus Point for explaining the reasoning clearly.
   • 1 Bonus Point for creative solutions that enhance security further (e.g., suggesting scouts turn off devices when not in use).
6. Start the first round and continue until all 30 scenario cards have been drawn and matched. Teams are allowed to write down the solutions they came up with for each scenario card to keep track.
7. At the end of the game, tally up the points for each team. The team with the highest score wins!

4 Safety Steps

1. Use Strong Passwords and Never Share Them:
   • Prevent unauthorized access to smart devices (e.g., hacked baby monitors, thermostats, or cameras).
   • Block scenarios where attackers exploit weak or shared passwords to control devices or collect personal data.
2. Install Updates Regularly to Fix Security Issues:
   • Close vulnerabilities that hackers use to exploit outdated devices (e.g., compromised smart speakers or security cameras).
   • Address bugs that cause malfunctions (e.g., thermostats failing to respond during updates).
3. Research Devices Before Buying to Understand Privacy Policies:
   • Identify devices that collect unnecessary data (e.g., smart refrigerators or robot vacuums tracking habits).
   • Ensure transparency in how companies manage data and protect user privacy.
4. Turn Off Microphones or Cameras on Smart Devices When Not in Use:
   • Avoid accidental recordings by voice assistants, TVs, or smart speakers.
   • Prevent devices with active cameras or microphones from unintentionally monitoring activities.

Scenario Cards

1. Voice Assistant Misunderstanding Commands
   • Your voice assistant mishears its “wake word” and starts recording a private conversation without you realizing it.
2. Hacked Baby Monitor
   • A hacker gains access to a baby monitor and uses it to spy on the family and even talk through the device.
3. Smart Thermostat Tampered With
   • Someone hacks into a smart thermostat and changes the temperature in your home without permission.
4. Unauthorized Doorbell Access
   • A smart doorbell is used to track when people come and go from your house, revealing your daily schedule to an unauthorized person.
5. Smart TV Listening Concerns
   • A smart TV with a built-in microphone records conversations for “voice control” features but unintentionally sends the data to the company’s servers.
6. Compromised Security Camera
   • A home security camera is hacked, allowing someone to watch live feeds of your home without your knowledge.
7. Unintentional Data Sharing
   • A smart refrigerator collects data about the food you buy and shares it with the manufacturer, who sells the information to advertisers.
8. Microwave Turns Smart Spy
   • A kitchen microwave with voice commands accidentally records conversations, storing the audio in the cloud without permission.
9. Forgotten Software Updates
   • A smart home device hasn’t been updated in months, leaving it vulnerable to cyberattacks because it lacks the latest security features.
10. Wi-Fi Outage Consequences
    • During a Wi-Fi outage, none of your smart home devices work properly, leaving you unable to lock doors or control appliances.
11. Smart Speaker Picks Up Background Noise
    • A smart speaker unintentionally records private conversations happening in the background while listening for its wake word.
12. Hacked Robot Vacuum
    • A robot vacuum with a built-in camera is hacked, allowing someone to view images or videos of the inside of your home.
13. Smartwatch Tracks Movements
    • A smartwatch shares location data and activity patterns with its manufacturer, which sells the information to advertisers.
14. Unauthorized Light Controls
    • Someone hacks into a smart lighting system and turns lights on and off remotely, disrupting your daily routine.
15. Smart Curtains Reveal Presence
    • Automated curtains are hacked to open or close at random times, potentially signaling to intruders whether someone is home.
16. Compromised Car Connectivity
    • A smart car connected to Wi-Fi is hacked, giving unauthorized access to location data or control over certain features.
17. Smart Lock Fails
    • A smart door lock malfunctions during a system update, leaving the door either unlocked or stuck shut.
18. Security Cameras Sell Data
    • A security camera records footage and shares it with the manufacturer, who uses the information for analytics without your consent.
19. Appliance Data Collection
    • A smart coffee maker collects data about usage patterns and shares it with advertisers to target you with coffee-related products.
20. Phone Controls Home Unintentionally
    • Your phone connects automatically to smart devices in your home and starts controlling them due to a misconfigured app.
21. Smart Refrigerator Share Data
    • A smart refrigerator records your grocery purchases and shares the data with third-party companies for targeted advertising.
22. Voice Assistant Shares Commands
    • A voice assistant stores your commands and sends them to the company for analysis without your knowledge.
23. Robot Vacuum Tracks Layout
    • A robot vacuum maps the layout of your home and shares the data with the manufacturer.
24. Hacked Smart Faucets
    • Someone hacks into a smart faucet system, causing it to run water wastefully, increasing your water bill.
25. Unsecured Dash Buttons
    • Dash buttons used to reorder products are hacked, allowing someone to place unauthorized orders for you.
26. Smart Thermostat Stops Responding
    • A smart thermostat freezes during a Wi-Fi outage, leaving you unable to change the temperature manually.
27. Doorbell Camera Captures Street Activity
    • A doorbell camera records not only your visitors but activity on the public street, creating unexpected privacy concerns for neighbors.
28. Smart Coffee Maker Collects Preferences
    • A smart coffee maker tracks your coffee preferences and shares the data with marketers to target you with ads.
29. Unintended Surveillance by Smart TV
    • A smart TV with a camera records your movements and shares the data with advertisers without your knowledge.
30. Compromised Smart Speaker Updates
    • An outdated smart speaker fails to download security patches, making it vulnerable to being accessed remotely.