Cybersecurity Basics Criteria

This badge holder passed an assessment of the standards listed below by scoring at least 85% on an unproctored exam on the Northstar Digital Literacy website.

Learners taking unproctored assessments are not supervised.

Cybersecurity Basics Standards

1. Define cybersecurity and why it is essential for protecting personal information and devices.
2. Create strong and unique passwords that meet security requirements.
3. Demonstrate understanding of technologies that support secure login (e.g., password managers and passkeys).
4. Utilize multi-factor authentication (MFA) on accounts for added security and explain the benefits of MFA.
5. Identify characteristics of common internet dangers such as spam, phishing, AI-generated scams, and malware and recognize appropriate next steps if targeted by a scam.
6. Recognize characteristics of suspicious websites.
7. Demonstrate ways to identify secure websites and reliable sources from which to download resources.
8. Adjust privacy settings in web browsers (e.g., safe browsing settings) and on websites (e.g., cookie preferences).
9. Recognize the risks associated with sharing personal information on websites and social media, including potential identity theft, and take measures to practice safe sharing habits.
10. Lock devices using strong and unique passwords, PINs, or other methods (e.g., biometric data like face recognition) to prevent unauthorized access.
11. Identify software tools to protect your devices (e.g., anti-malware software, regular software and/or app updates, device tracking apps).
12. Use mechanisms for storing files (flash drives, hard drives, cloud-based storage) to regularly back up data.