NCF Escape Room
In progress: A grant from the Arundel Community Development Services, Inc. will further the NCF's partnership with NiSUS to improve upon the initial escape room and develop a “fly-away” capability. This fly-away kit will enable NCF to transport and operate the Cybersecurity Escape Room at any location like a high school.
In 2019, 900 Scouts at the Boy Scout World Jamboree experienced the NCF’s original Cybersecurity Escape Room (see article below).
Enhancements will include incorporating more National Cryptologic Museum artifact examples. Stay tuned for more news!
Scouts Explore Cyber at the CCEI Exhibit
CCEI's Cyber Escape Room at the 2019 Scout World Jamboree
Scouts from 160 nations are exploring life in the 21st Century. This exhibit area at the 2019 World Jamboree demonstrates the security dangers of WiFi, shows the trace routing across the INTERNet, lets Scouts build a software defined radio on laptops, explores the Iridium constellation, reveals how microwave transmissions are accomplished, and teaches Morse Code.
Scouts have an opportunity to try a 3D printed Enigma rotor to encrypt and decrypt messages. At the NCMF-CCEI - Cyber Center for Education and Innovation booth, they can virtually visit the National Cryptologic Museum to see a real Enigma Machine through Friedman – CCEI’s telepresence robot.
Foundation staffers also present a talk on Cyber Hygiene, where Scouts are encouraged to keep their IT up to date with the latest patches, and discuss the many opportunities in cyber professions.
The cornerstone exhibit is the Cyber Escape Room. Scouts have 30 minutes to solve cryptologic clues and puzzles to break into a computer. At the end they realize they were a White Hat Team to test the security features of the computer facility to help improve its defenses against Black Hat Hackers. This popular exhibit sold out after the second day of the Jamboree. A leader board was established tracking the Scout teams which generated a competitive environment with bragging rights.
The Foundation thanks NiSUS for their donation of time to develop the Cyber Escape Room. It is a BIG success! We also acknowledge our generous donors Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Northern Trust for making the NCF-CCEI’s participation in the 24th Scout World Jamboree possible.
