DAYTON — Criminals are getting smarter and more tech-savvy. The FBI is reporting a 10% increase in cyber crime and a 22% increase in related losses from 2023 to 2024, but one group is fighting back with education.
As a high school student, Abigail Wilkerson knows technology, but what she doesn’t always know is when it could turn into a threat.
“It’s really easy to fall victim of that,” said Wilkerson. “This class helps me understand what that is and how I can pull myself out of it if I were ever to become a victim of that.”
She’s one of dozens of students using part of their summer break to learn about cyber security from their peers.
“One of the main interests that we’re looking at is social engineering. So that is phishing, smishing and all the other stuff. So that’s basically when somebody tries to attack to get more information from their target,” said student instructor Brooke Garringer.
Students are also learning from someone with firsthand experience.
“My son, he’s a pretty smart guy, but he used to go to the Dayton Regional STEM School and we get a call from the principal saying he’s been suspended from school and so, you know, I ask, you know, what happened? He said he hacked into the school’s computer system,” said Ohio Cyber Reserve Volunteer Brian Kowal.
It’s the reason Kowal, former Air Force turned Ohio Cyber Reserve volunteer, wants to teach kids how to use their tech skills for good.
“During this training, we help kids understand what ransomware is and how to protect themselves against it. It turns out that, like, 90% of all the attacks are due to human error. Someone will get an email and they will click on a link they shouldn’t click on and or click on some other link and that will initiate the attack,” said Kowal.
It’s something he says that’s even more important after recent text scams saying there’s an unpaid highway toll, and the cyber attack affecting Kettering Health.
The program’s director also hopes camps like this inspire students to pursue a career in STEM.
“They did a project in the innovation lab. so and they got to kind of work on the engineering design process and they got to test their prototypes,” said Camp Director Tina Harris.
Wilkerson says that might just be where her career path takes her.
“It helps me learn things that can even if I don’t go into a cyber security role. It will give me knowledge that I can put into whatever I decide to do,” said Wilkerson.
The cyber security and STEM summer camp will be at the Air Force Museum for the next two weeks.
