Cyber Smart and Cyber Safe 2026
An ACM BIT Mesra Cybersecurity Awareness & Ethical Hacking Initiative
Cyber Smart and Cyber Safe is a cybersecurity awareness and hands-on technical training initiative associated with the ACM Student Chapter, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra.
Its purpose is to help students become informed, responsible, and technically capable digital citizens who can understand cyber threats, protect themselves online, and explore cybersecurity and ethical hacking in controlled learning environments.
The initiative combines cybersecurity awareness, practical Linux and networking skills, ethical hacking fundamentals, web security, guided security challenges, and the Cyber Warrior 360 online assessment.
- Date
- Oct 27–31, 2026
- Time
- 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM IST (Evening Hybrid Sessions)
- Venue
- Seminar Hall 2 & Lab 3, Department of CSE, BIT Mesra / Online Guided Labs
- Organized by
- ACM Student Chapter, BIT Mesra, ACM CyberSec Wing, NCC BIT Mesra / NCC Bratalian
About the event
Under the broader vision of NEP 2020, the programme emphasises digital literacy, cybersecurity awareness, data privacy, responsible technology usage, and the development of technical competencies among undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The initiative aims to bridge the gap between theoretical understanding and practical application by introducing participants to cybersecurity fundamentals, the CIA triad, ethical hacking, Linux systems, computer networking, network packet analysis, and web application security.
All testing and security challenges take place strictly within designated, authorized virtualized laboratory environments. Participants learn how security weaknesses are discovered, analyzed, and responsibly mitigated in professional industry workflows.
The workshop welcomes beginners as well as students with an existing interest in technology. Special emphasis is placed on logical reasoning, ethical conduct, responsible digital citizenship, and real-world problem solving.
What to expect
Module 1: Cybersecurity Foundations & CIA Triad
Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, threat models, attack surfaces, phishing, social engineering, password security, MFA, and digital privacy hygiene.
Module 2: Ethical Hacking, Scope & Legal Boundaries
Authorized vs unauthorized testing, penetration testing lifecycle, reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, responsible disclosure, and professional ethics.
Module 3: Linux & Shell Fundamentals
Linux filesystem, user & permission hierarchy (chmod, chown), process inspection (ps, top, kill), navigation, text processing (grep, awk, sed), and Bash automation scripts.
Module 4: Networking & Network Security
IP addressing (IPv4/IPv6, CIDR, private/public), subnets, MAC addresses, TCP/IP vs OSI model, TCP 3-way handshake, UDP, DNS resolution, and HTTP/HTTPS communication flows.
Module 5: Nmap & Wireshark In-Depth
Network discovery, host scanning (-sn, -sV, -p), interpreting scan outputs, packet capture, Wireshark display filters (ip.addr, tcp.port, http), and identifying protocol anomalies.
Module 6: Web Security & Virtual Machines
Client-server architecture, HTTP headers/cookies, browser DevTools, SQL injection fundamentals, XSS, access control, VirtualBox host-only/NAT isolation, and VM snapshotting.
Module 7: CTFs & Guided Security Laboratories
Practical challenges on OverTheWire Bandit, picoCTF, OWASP Juice Shop, PortSwigger Web Security Academy, and the Cyber Warrior 360 assessment.
Timeline & milestones
- 27 October 2026 — 6:00 PM
Opening / Inauguration
ConfirmedIntroduction, roadmap, goals, ethical guidelines, and overview of the CyberSec initiative under NEP 2020.
- 28 October 2026 — 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Day 1: Cybersecurity Foundations, Ethics & Linux
ConfirmedVenue: Seminar Hall 2, BIT Mesra. CIA Triad, threat models, Linux terminal essentials, permissions, and shell scripting.
- 29 October 2026 — 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Day 2: Networking, HTTP, Cryptography & Password Security
ConfirmedIP addressing, subnets, TCP 3-way handshake, DNS, packet capture with Wireshark, and password defenses.
- 30 October 2026 — 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Day 3: Web Security, Guided Labs & Cyber Warrior 360 Assessment
ConfirmedOnline / Hybrid session. Web application security, OWASP vulnerabilities, mini-CTF, and the live Cyber Warrior 360 90-minute assessment.
- 31 October 2026 onwards
Post-Workshop Online Guided Practice & CTF Track
ConfirmedSelf-paced OverTheWire Bandit, picoCTF exercises, project submissions, and certificate distribution.
Rules & guidelines
- All testing and security scanning must take place strictly within designated, authorized virtualized laboratory environments.
- Participants must respect the ACM Code of Ethics and BIT Mesra institutional computer laboratory policies.
- No unauthorized access, scanning, or interception of university networks, external websites, or personal accounts.
- Any discovered vulnerabilities must be documented and responsibly disclosed to the workshop mentors.
- Participants should have a laptop with Wi-Fi capability for hands-on sessions.
Prizes & recognition
Top individual scorer on the Day 2 & Day 3 Jeopardy CTF leaderboard.
Certificate of Excellence + ACM Swag KitSecond-highest CTF flag solver and assessment performer.
Certificate of Distinction + GoodiesFor participants completing hands-on laboratory checkpoints and achieving passing marks in the Cyber Warrior 360 assessment.
Verified Digital Participation CertificateExplore more
Cyber Warrior 360 — Online Assessment Portal
Access the official 90-minute proctored examination, evaluate your cybersecurity reasoning, and earn chapter certification.
Cyber Smart & Safe Learning Course Material
Explore the companion interactive cybersecurity course website with detailed lecture slides and learning modules.
OverTheWire: Bandit Linux Wargame
Hands-on command-line Linux wargame designed for beginners to master terminal navigation and security concepts.
picoCTF Cybersecurity Platform
Carnegie Mellon University's beginner-friendly capture-the-flag platform with guided security challenges.
PortSwigger Web Security Academy
Industry-standard interactive web application security laboratories covering SQLi, XSS, and authentication flaws.
OWASP Juice Shop
Modern insecure web application for security trainings, awareness demos, and capture-the-flag practice.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible to participate in the workshop and assessment?
All undergraduate, postgraduate, and research students enrolled at Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra (including all branches and departments) with an active university Google account (@bitmesra.ac.in) are welcome to register.
Is there any registration fee?
No. The Cyber Smart and Cyber Safe workshop and the Cyber Warrior 360 examination are completely free of charge for all BIT Mesra students, organized by the ACM Student Chapter.
Do I need prior ethical hacking or advanced programming experience?
No prior cybersecurity or hacking experience is required! The curriculum begins with everyday digital safety and common sense reasoning before gradually building into Linux commands, networking concepts, and security tools.
What technical equipment is needed?
You will need a laptop with a modern web browser and Wi-Fi capability. For hands-on tool sessions, a Linux environment, Docker, or VirtualBox VM is helpful, though conceptual exercises and browser-based labs can be performed directly.
How will the Cyber Warrior 360 examination be conducted?
The assessment is conducted online through our proctored assessment engine (/cyber-warrior-360). It features 40 balanced questions across 9 question types covering conceptual understanding, Linux, networking, Nmap, Wireshark, and security scenarios with automated and mentor evaluation.
Will participants receive certificates?
Yes. All participants who complete the hands-on lab checkpoints and achieve a passing score (>= 40%) in the Cyber Warrior 360 assessment will receive a verified digital ACM Certificate of Participation.
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