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• Security > Community
• Last Updated: 2025-09-14

Local Cybersecurity Workshop Empowers Students

A one day intensive cybersecurity workshop was recently held at City College with the aim of equipping students with practical skills and awareness to counter growing online threats. Organised by a group of industry volunteers in collaboration with the college, the event focused on real world defensive techniques and ethical practices that students can apply immediately to protect personal and institutional data. The day began with an overview of the current threat landscape, covering topics such as phishing, social engineering, malware, and the risks of insecure public Wi Fi. Presenters highlighted how attackers exploit weak passwords, careless sharing, and outdated software to gain unauthorized access. Speakers stressed simple, high impact controls that every student can adopt, including the use of strong passphrases, two factor authentication, cautious handling of links and attachments, and regular software updates. The workshop included a mix of short lectures and hands on labs. In lab sessions participants engaged in guided exercises that demonstrated how common attacks are executed and how defensive tools and settings mitigate those attacks. Students practised identifying suspicious emails, inspecting link destinations, configuring device security settings, and using sandboxed environments for safe learning. Live demonstrations showed how easily credentials can be phished and how basic incident response steps help contain an incident. Case studies from local and national incidents were used to illustrate the consequences of breaches and the role of timely detection and disclosure. An entire session was devoted to ethics and responsible disclosure, encouraging students interested in offensive security to follow legal and ethical paths such as coordinated vulnerability disclosure and participation in bug bounty programs. Organisers also provided a curated list of learning resources, free labs, and community groups to support continued learning after the workshop. Attendees reported increased confidence and a clear set of actions to improve their daily habits. Many expressed interest in pursuing further training in areas like ethical hacking, digital forensics, and secure software development. The event concluded with a question and answer panel where students engaged with professionals about career paths and practical next steps. Overall the workshop achieved its goal of raising awareness, developing practical skills, and inspiring students to become proactive defenders of their digital lives.