CyberQuest Summer Camp
A free, five-day, hands-on cybersecurity camp for middle and high school students. Each day pairs a Python exercise with a free, fun security game. Everything runs in the browser, no installs and no paid tools.
Open the main course deckTip: swipe on a phone, or use the arrow keys and on-screen buttons on a computer.
Day decks and notebooks
POGIL activities (guided inquiry)
Original guided-inquiry activities, one for each day (Day 3 has two). Teams discover each concept through Models and Critical Thinking Questions. See all POGIL activities.
Day 1 - Reading Code and the Terminal
Trace variables and loops, then read a terminal session and extract the key facts.
Day 2 - Strong Passwords and Keyspace
Keyspace as N to the power L, why length beats complexity, and how MFA helps.
Day 3 - Symmetric Encryption
One shared key, why secrecy lives in the key, and key space from Caesar to AES.
Day 3 - Perfect Secrecy and the One-Time Pad
XOR encryption, the three one-time-pad requirements, and why reuse breaks it.
Day 4 - Trusting Input: Web and AI
Read a URL, see why SQL injection works and how parameterized queries fix it, and meet prompt injection.
Day 5 - Capture the Flag and OSINT Ethics
Reverse a two-step flag, read photo metadata, and apply the permission rule.
Frequently asked questions
- Is CyberQuest free?
- Yes. Every tool is free and browser-based, and the curriculum is MIT-licensed.
- Who is it for?
- Middle and high school students, complete beginners welcome, plus teachers and club leaders.
- What will I learn?
- Python and Linux, passwords and the CIA triad, cryptography, web and AI security, and Capture The Flag with OSINT.
- Do I need to install anything?
- No. Decks open in any browser; notebooks open free in Google Colab.