Cybersecurity is about protecting your devices, accounts, and information from people who want to misuse them. This badge teaches you how threats work and how to defend against them. These skills help you stay safe online and could lead to an exciting career.
Why it's worth it
Every phone, game console, and smart speaker in your home is something an attacker might try to break into. This badge shows you how those attacks really work, from phishing to malware, and how defenders stop them. You'll lock down a real device, crack a simple code, and maybe try a capture-the-flag competition. Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing fields, and the habits you build now protect you and your family right away.
Start this week
- Watch the digital safety video with a parent this week and talk about one thing you'd change about how you use your devices.
- List every device in your home that connects to the internet. Most families are surprised by how many there are.
- Ask your Scoutmaster for the name of a Cybersecurity counselor, and contact them with a parent copied.
- With a parent, check whether your phone or computer has updates waiting, and install them together.
Stay safe
- Only test security on devices and accounts you own or have permission to test. Trying to get into anyone else's is illegal, even as a joke.
Requirements · 9
Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab) (updated 2025).
- Requirement 1
Safety
Tips for this section: Watch the video with a parent and talk about what your digital footprint says about you. Check your screen and seating setup too.
- Requirement 1a
With a parent's or guardian's permission, watch the Personal Safety Awareness "Digital Safety" video
- Requirement 1b
Explain to your counselor how to guard your digital footprint on social media, phone apps, and online games, and show how to set privacy settings that protect your personal details, including photos of you and where you are
- Requirement 1c
Discuss preventing and giving first aid for problems from heavy device use, like eye strain, repetitive-motion injuries, and handling electronics, and how to stay physically safe while using a phone, such as when walking or biking
- Requirement 2
Ethics
Tips for this section: Pick a few points of the Scout Law and think about what they look like when you're online.
Example for this section: Connect the Scout Law to real choices: trustworthy means not using someone else's password even if you know it; kind means not piling on in a group chat; obedient means following your family's and school's device rules.
- Requirement 2a
Connect three points of the Scout Law to what people do online or with computers, phones, and other connected devices
- Requirement 2b
Discuss with your counselor examples of right and wrong behavior online, including what to do if you find a computer or phone left unlocked or unattended, see someone typing their password or find it written down, or discover a website that isn't secured; explain why these call for good judgment and how your values and the Scout Law should guide you
- Requirement 3
Cybersecurity fundamentals
Tips for this section: List the devices and accounts in your home that need protecting. Explain the CIA triad with real examples.
Example for this section: Explain the CIA triad with your family's photos: confidentiality (only your family can see them), integrity (nobody secretly changes them), availability (they're there when you need them, thanks to a backup).
- Requirement 3a
Describe three kinds of computer systems that need protecting and why, and discuss them with your counselor
- Requirement 3b
Explain the C.I.A. Triad (confidentiality, integrity, availability) and why these three ideas are the foundation of cybersecurity, and discuss it with your counselor
- Requirement 4
Threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks
Tips for this section: Look at examples of phishing emails and practice spotting the warning signs. Be careful on public Wi-Fi.
Example for this section: Show a phishing example and circle the clues: a sender address that's slightly off, a scary deadline, a link that doesn't match the company, and a request to "verify your password."
- Requirement 4a
Define vulnerability, threat, and exploit, give an example of each that could affect a website or app you use, and discuss them with your counselor
- Requirement 4b
Choose one kind of malware, such as a virus, worm, Trojan, backdoor, spyware, or ransomware; learn how it works and explain to your counselor what it does and what damage it can cause
- Requirement 4c
Name two dangers of using public Wi-Fi and how to lower or avoid them, and discuss them with your counselor
- Requirement 4d
Describe spoofing and phishing and how to spot a message or site that may be trying to fool you; explain to your counselor what to do to protect yourself and others when you run into one
- Requirement 4e
Current events. Choose 1 of 2
- Requirement 4e1
Read a news story or article about a recent cybersecurity incident, like a data breach or malware infection; explain to your counselor how it happened, as best you can tell, and what the effects are or could be for the victim
- Requirement 4e2
With a parent's or guardian's permission, read a book or see a movie where cybersecurity plays a big part; discuss with your counselor how it was portrayed and how realistic it seemed
- Requirement 4f
List everything in your cyber attack surface, meaning all the ways someone might try to reach your devices or personal data, like apps, online accounts, or your home network, and discuss it with your counselor
- Requirement 5
Cyber defenses
Tips for this section: With a parent, check for updates on a device and turn on security settings.
Example for this section: With a parent, secure a device: install updates, turn on automatic updates, set a strong passcode or passphrase, and turn on two-step verification for one account. Explain what each step defends against.
- Requirement 5a
Describe three technologies that protect a computer or network, such as firewalls, antivirus software, access controls, intrusion detection or prevention systems, or a VPN
- Requirement 5b
Installing updates
- Requirement 5b1
Explain to your counselor why it matters to install the newest updates on your computer, why updates are needed, and what problems they can head off
- Requirement 5b2
Show your counselor how to look for, download, and install the newest updates on your computer or phone, or another device you have permission to use (an online guide with screenshots is OK if you can't do it on a device), and how to confirm it's fully up to date
- Requirement 5c
System security. Choose 3 of 9
- Requirement 5c1
With a parent's or guardian's permission, explain what makes a strong password and why, then make an account's password strong by setting or changing it, and discuss it with your counselor
- Requirement 5c2
With a parent's or guardian's permission, describe multi-factor authentication (MFA) and how it boosts security, show how to use an authenticator app or another MFA method, and discuss it with your counselor
- Requirement 5c3
With a parent's or guardian's permission, install and set up a password manager and show your counselor how it works
- Requirement 5c4
With a parent's or guardian's permission, run a virus scan and show your counselor the results
- Requirement 5c5
With a parent's or guardian's permission, use a command line or another built-in tool to see which processes or programs your computer is running, and discuss with your counselor what you found and what surprised you
- Requirement 5c6
With a parent's or guardian's permission, use a command-line interface to see your computer's open network connections and discuss the results with your counselor
- Requirement 5c7
With a parent's or guardian's permission, show how to back up a mobile device's data to a local computer or the cloud, and discuss it with your counselor
- Requirement 5c8
With a parent's or guardian's permission, research good practices for securing a home computer or network, make a checklist of five steps your family can take to stay secure, and discuss it with your counselor
- Requirement 5c9
With a parent's or guardian's permission, find at least one more vulnerability on your home network or computer (or another you have permission to use), discuss it with your counselor, and fix it with the system owner's permission
- Requirement 6
Cryptography
Tips for this section: Try a simple code like a shift cipher with a friend. Look for the lock icon in your browser on a secure website.
Example for this section: Encode a message with a shift cipher, like moving every letter three places (A becomes D), and have your buddy decode it. Then show the lock icon and https on a website and explain what that encryption protects.
- Requirement 6a
Research three situations where cybersecurity relies on encryption, and explain to your counselor what kind of encryption each uses and why it matters
- Requirement 6b
Show how you can tell whether your connection to a website is encrypted
- Requirement 6c
Hands-on cryptography. Choose 1 of 4
- Requirement 6c1
Invent your own encryption code (a code book or substitution cipher, for example), use it to encrypt and decrypt a message, and describe its strengths and weaknesses
- Requirement 6c2
Download and set up an end-to-end encrypted app from an official app store, and explain to your counselor what end-to-end encryption means, how it works, and why it's safer than other messaging like SMS
- Requirement 6c3
Use a hashing tool (such as SHA or MD5) to make a checksum for a file, document, or text; have your counselor or another Scout change it, make a new checksum, and compare the two to show how file integrity checking works
- Requirement 6c4
Create a PGP (pretty good privacy) email key of your own, give your public key to others including your counselor, add their public keys to your computer's key ring, and send a digitally encrypted message
- Requirement 7
Describe to your counselor four devices around you that could connect to the internet, how being connected helps, what risks it brings, and how the devices could be protected
Tip: List the smart devices in your home and think about what could happen if someone got into them.
- Requirement 8
Cybersecurity activities. Choose 1 of 3
Tips for this section: Look for youth cyber competitions or camps, or give a presentation to your troop on staying safe online.
Example for this section: Teach your troop a 10-minute lesson: three signs of phishing, how to make a passphrase, and why to update devices. End with a quick quiz where they spot the fake email.
- Requirement 8a
Learn about a cybersecurity camp, competition, or similar activity you could join now or later, and tell your counselor what kind of activity it is, the time it takes, and the ages of those who take part
- Requirement 8b
Take part in a cybersecurity competition with people from your troop, school, or another group your counselor approves, either one you design or one on an existing platform
- Requirement 8c
Give a presentation on a cybersecurity topic you choose to your patrol, troop, or another group your counselor approves, including at least one demonstration or hands-on activity
- Requirement 9
Careers. Choose 1 of 2
Tips for this section: Look into jobs like security analyst or ethical hacker. Ask your counselor about local organizations to visit.
- Requirement 9a
Name three careers that use cybersecurity skills and knowledge; pick one and research its training, education, certification, experience, and costs to get started, plus job outlook, starting pay, and advancement; then tell your counselor what you learned and whether it interests you
- Requirement 9b
Visit a business or organization that works in cybersecurity; find out about its job roles, what each one does, and how people gained their knowledge through degrees or certifications, and share what you learned with your counselor
Places to visit
Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.
A company or government office's security operations center
See analysts watching screens for signs of attacks and learn how they respond when something looks wrong.
How: Ask your counselor whether they know an organization that gives tours. An adult arranges it, and your patrol goes together; expect a sign-in and a no-photos rule.
A college computer science or cybersecurity program
Many colleges run youth camps, competitions, and open houses where you can try hands-on challenges.
How: Have an adult check the program's outreach page or email the department to ask about youth events.
Where it can lead
- Security analystMonitors networks, investigates alerts, and stops attacks in progress.
- Penetration testerGets permission to break into systems so organizations can fix the holes first.
- Digital forensics investigatorRecovers evidence from devices for police, courts, and companies.
- Military cyber operations specialistDefends military networks; the services train enlisted members in this skill.
- IT support technicianKeeps computers updated and secure; a common starting point with certifications instead of a degree.
Ask yourself
- Which of your accounts would cause the most trouble if someone got into it, and how is it protected?
- What does your digital footprint say about you to someone who doesn't know you?
- Was there a scam or trick you might have fallen for before this badge?
- How do you decide what's okay to share online and what to keep private?
- What part of cybersecurity, attacking, defending, or investigating, sounds most interesting to you?
Good questions to ask your counselor or a cybersecurity professional
- What kind of attack do you see most often in your work?
- How do you stay current when new threats show up all the time?
- What does an ethical hacker do, and how is that different from a criminal?
- What should I learn first if I want to work in cybersecurity?
- What's one setting every family should change on their home network?
Helpful reads
- Earning a merit badge, step by step, From picking a badge to getting the final signature: how to find a counselor, set up meetings safely, work the requirements, and keep your progress., Youth · Families · 6 min read
- Contacting counselors, experts, and organizations, Email and phone scripts, who to ask for, how to follow up, and how to say thanks, with a parent copied every time., Youth · Families · 7 min read
- Choosing your next merit badge, How to pick a badge you'll actually finish: start with what you care about, balance Eagle-required and just-for-fun badges, and make the most of camp., Youth · Families · 6 min read
For leaders & parents
- Have scouts teach younger scouts or families about strong passwords and spotting phishing.
- Help scouts find youth cyber competitions or camps in your area.
People & places that can help
- Merit badge counselor — Talk with them early; they can explain what's expected.
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) (opens in a new tab) — Tips for staying safe online.
- Federal Trade Commission (opens in a new tab) — Information on scams, phishing, and identity theft.
- School computer science teacher — Can help with projects and competitions.
- picoCTF (opens in a new tab) — Free capture-the-flag security challenges for students, run by Carnegie Mellon University.
- CyberPatriot (opens in a new tab) — A national youth cyber defense competition and summer camps.
- Secure Our World (opens in a new tab) — Four simple steps to protect your devices and accounts.
- NICCS Cybersecurity Careers (opens in a new tab) — Explore cybersecurity jobs and the skills each one needs.
Pairs well with
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Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.