Formula 1 team Williams Racing has joined forces with cyber firms Keeper Security and KnowBe4 to launch a global security education programme for schools, designed to empower online safety across the sector.
The Flex Your Cyber campaign, which launches first in the US, with a UK roll-out planned for the near future, is aimed at children aged between five and 14, and is being supported by the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA), a security education non-profit.
Keeper Security CEO and co-founder Darren Guccione said that with the education sector increasingly victimised by cyber criminals, and bountiful evidence of a clear awareness gap, it is becoming crucial to teach cyber fundamentals not just to teachers and admin staff, but to children too.
“Our goal is to empower the entire educational community with the knowledge they need to protect themselves from today’s cyber threats,” said Guccione. “Starting this education at a young age will help ensure future generations are protected against the cyber threats plaguing our digital landscape.”
Flex Your Cyber will provide tailored content for parents, teachers, administrators and children, ranging from practical tips and solutions for the grown-ups, to more age-appropriate activities for children.
For children in the Little Kids category, which covers those aged up to about eight or nine, the campaign has developed a number of videos and games, an activity book and an infographic to introduce the youngest learners to some of the basics of online safety.
This is where Williams Racing comes in. The team has loaned the services of its lead driver Alex Albon, who stars in a video in which he travels across the internet on a brightly coloured bike, battling cartoon cyber threats as he goes.
Our goal is to empower the entire educational community with the knowledge they need to protect themselves from today’s cyber threats
Darren Guccione, Keeper Security
Children in the Big Kids category will be engaged with more interactive activities, cyber challenges and access to information that delve a little deeper into digital security concepts relevant to pre-teens. Meanwhile, Albon dodges cyber dangers such as “privacy potholes” and navigates the “malware mile” in a retro 8-bit style racing video game environment.
Not to be forgotten, teaching staff will have access to tools, resources and age-appropriate lesson plans to integrate elements of security education in the classroom, while back office staff will receive more guidance on best practices and solutions to build secure digital environments within schools.
More resources, information and videos – including, just for fun, a game of cyber charades between Albon and Williams team principal James Vowles – are available on the Flex Your Cyber campaign website.
“Cyber security is critical in all walks of life, and particularly in Formula 1, where protecting our data is vital to succeeding on track,” said James Southerland, head of partnerships at Williams Racing.
“Forming good cyber security habits at a young age is becoming as important as learning to cross the road safely or wear a seatbelt, and we are delighted to be supporting our partner Keeper Security with this campaign.”
Stu Sjouwerman, CEO of KnowBe4, added: “Keeper Security’s Flex Your Cyber initiative is a crucial step in safeguarding children in an increasingly digital world, cultivating a security culture in our future workforce from the ground up.
“By equipping students, parents and educators with accessible cyber security education and resources, Flex Your Cyber will foster a robust culture of cyber resilience – essential for navigating today’s complex threat landscape. We are proud to support this impactful programme, which promises to have a lasting, positive impact on the education community and beyond.”