Cadet CIS

28/02/2024

Last call for our CyberFirst Advanced course, 06/04 - 12/04, booking closes at 17:00 on Friday 1st. See Westminster/Cadet Portal for details.

23/01/2024

Unfortunately, we have taken the decision this week to cancel Exercise Rolling Thunder 2024.

We are sure that you and your units will be disappointed to hear this news, but following communications with the RPOC Advisors, it became clear that the number of teams who are able to enter this year is significantly lower than normal, and not of a sufficient number to make the event viable in 2024.

We can confirm that the 2025 date for Rolling Thunder has been confirmed on the Regional Command Event Planner as 07 - 09 Mar 2025.

Whilst Rolling Thunder 2024 is not happening, we are confident that 2024 will see the return of the HF NRN Competition - further information will follow.

13/03/2023

Merchant Taylors' School in Northwood are hosting a CyberFirst Adventurers training day on the 25th March, with a course for cadets (23/935038) and an instructors course for CFAVs (23/935040) - please see joining instructions on Westminster for details.

25/02/2023

Today is our National Conference! Brief updates will follow on Twitter during the day, and proceedings will be published on the Resource Centre in the next few days.

23/02/2023

Cadet Advanced Radio Course - Sat 01 - Thu 06 Apr 23, Blandford

Bids are still open for the above course, hosted at Blandford Garrison. Over the six days, cadets will track enemy radio signals, create antennas, receive signals from space and communicate with stations worldwide. In addition, there will be an opportunity to gain an amateur radio foundation licence, valid for life and allow cadets to use any radio system under their license. The Advanced communicator course examines military and civilian communication systems and the science behind how they work. Almost every lesson is hands-on and practical, and cadets who complete the course will be highly skilled operators, able to compile and run exercise communication plans. The course code for bids is CCISTT/CCD/23/931388, cadets must hold the ACS21 4* CIS qualification.

12/02/2023

The Cadet CIS Training Team is running a Cadet CyberFirst Advanced Course and a Cadet Advanced Signaller course at Blandford, 1st April - 6th April 2023 on a residential basis. We are seeking additional CFAVs to provide duty of care cover and additional admin support for the duration. Interested parties should contact [email protected] in the first instance; chain of command approval will subsequently be required prior to booking on Westminster.

21/01/2023

CyberFirst Defenders – Calling Notice for Potential Directing Staff

The Cadet CIS Training Team (CCISTT) is seeking additional CFAVs who are appropriately qualified and wish to deliver the CyberFirst Defenders course to cadets. Defenders is a residential course, and provides an introduction to the tools, knowledge and skills required to build and protect small networks and personal devices. The audience is senior cadets, and is a qualifying course for 4*.

The authorisation process involves confirmation that the applicant holds the relevant domain knowledge detailed below, and an invitation to act as Assisting Directing Staff on a national course to be familiarised and evaluated. Once confirmed, the qualification will be awarded on Westminster for a period of three years, following authorisation from the National CIS Advisor.

The next course opportunity is 11th February – 17th February 2023, and we are keen to hear from those that could make these dates. Applications should be made to [email protected]

Due to the nature of the course, knowledge of the syllabus headings should be considered a minimum and instructors should be capable and confident in dealing with questions from cadets on a variety of broader cyber security topics. Experience is required with Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, and Linux. The course uses Wireshark, nmap, and other security tools, and experience with these would be highly beneficial.

• What an operating system does
• Features and differences of commonly used operating systems
• Use tools to view and modify operating system configuration settings
• Identify security considerations of different types of user accounts
• Good passphrase practice
• Password attack techniques
• Multi-Factor Authentication methods
• Good practices for installing apps, and protecting against malware and data loss
• File systems, permissions, compression, and encryption
• Symmetric and asymmetric encryption processes
• Targeted and untargeted cyber attack types
• Stages of a cyber attack
• Types of malware
• Different types of networks and their function, including VPNs
• The functions of common network hardware
• Configure common network hardware such as switches and routers
• The Internet of Things (IoT) and common devices that connect to it
• Setting up a home network with IoT devices, use of UPnP
• Security issues around the IoT and network risk
• Explain the different types of wireless technology and the security used
• The TCP/IP model, IP addresses, and DHCP
• Name resolution and DNS
• How firewalls protect against intrusion
• Use scanning tools to identify devices on a network
• The use of TLS certificates for securing websites
• The different web technologies, content and languages
• How scripts and cookies collect data about users and enable tracking
• How personal data can be collected by social media and other platforms
• The different types of social engineering
• The different types of fraud and how to avoid them
• Identify good sources of content and information
• The risks in using poorly sourced information and content
• The impersonal nature of the Internet and some of the challenges associated with trusting sources and individuals

14/12/2022

Can you crack the GCHQ Christmas Card? If you have a flair for codes and cybersecurity, talk to your Army Cadets UK instructors about the programme and courses available to you!

The Challenge returns for a second year with a series of fiendish brainteasers and a final twist!

08/12/2022

Westminster Qualifications

There has been some confusion due to duplication of qualifications. We have now obsoleted the 'old' Basic, 1-4 Star qualifications that were found under the 'signals' syllabus element in Westminster.

To award Basic, 1, 2, 3 & 4* the correct awards should be ACF ACS versions (screenshot attached). The awarding level for these qualifications is in line with the rest of the ACS syllabus.

If you have a cadet who is on the ACS pathway, but has been awarded the 'old' signals qual, you should be able to award them the ACS qualification, provided they completed said qualification since the 1 Sept 21.

28/09/2022

160 Bde are holding a Train the Trainer course for CyberFirst Adventurers in Queensferry Reserve Centre (North Wales) on the 8th October which has some spaces remaining for booking.

It's a 1-day course which allows CFAVs to deliver the Adventurers course to cadets. No CIS qualifications are required to attend as it's a separate syllabus but students will need a good level of IT knowledge (Windows/MS Office/esp. Excel filtering).

The course code is 22/895418 and it's due to close for bookings on Monday 3rd October.

29/08/2022

We're looking forward to our Cadet CyberFest programme of events at Blandford in October!

22nd - CyberFirst Adventurers
22nd - Ex VIRTUAL THUNDER, our first cyber competition (online)
22nd to 28th - CyberFirst Defenders
23rd - CyberFirst Adventurers

Search Westminster or the Cadet Portal for details and speak to your unit to book! Remember, Defenders counts as a 4* APC pass!

30/05/2022

There's a few days left to bid on our summer CIS Intermediate Instructor course, 30th July - 5th August - get them in soon to avoid disappointment! See Westminster 837204 for details.