Want to try something right now?
Head over to CyberStart Go, a tool we built to give you a quick sample of what CyberStart Assess and Game are like. It's free to use and features over a dozen challenges.
Accelerate your journey to a career in cybersecurity with Cyber FastTrack!
Sign up for Cyber FastTrack and you could be eligible to win a scholarship in advanced cybersecurity training - with $2.5 million up for grabs!
What is Cyber FastTrack?
Cyber FastTrack is a free and unique three-stage program that will help you discover if you have what it takes to make a difference in cybersecurity.
This all-inclusive program, which starts in April 2019, will provide you with everything you need to build your knowledge of the foundations of cybersecurity. Once you have proven excellence in those foundations, you can move on to master forensics, intrusion detection, security operations, system and network penetration testing and application penetration testing. Designed by world-leaders in the field of cybersecurity, this program provides an unprecedented opportunity for you to fast track your career in cybersecurity!
No other program or educational route will prepare you for this fascinating industry quicker than Cyber FastTrack!
Delivered online, the program's flexibility means that it can be completed alongside your college courses. It will help you build a foundation of cybersecurity knowledge, skills, and experience that could lead to an exciting future career - and even a scholarship for top students!
What experience do I need?
No experience is required to sign up and give it a shot. People who have never explored cybersecurity say that the Cyber FastTrack challenges opened their eyes to the possibilities and guided them through an exciting journey of discovery as they mastered the skills needed to excel in this exciting field.
Why cybersecurity?
Roles in the cybersecurity industry are now some of the most critical professions in the world, with our hospitals, homes and military all relying on the safety and security of their digital tools. But data and network breaches are happening so often it's now a question of "when," not "if," an organization will face a security challenge.
At the same time, the United States is facing an acute shortage of cybersecurity experts. Cyber FastTrack is helping to address this gap by offering you the chance to pursue an exciting and lucrative profession while building a more secure future for your country.
The program
To participate in Cyber FastTrack you must:
- Have access to a computer and the Internet.
- Be 18 or older on April 5, 2019.
- Be a permanent resident of the United States
- Have been registered as a student at a regionally accredited community college, 4-year college, or graduate school in the past 24 months in one of the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming.
Got more questions? Check out our FAQ section below.
Win a scholarship
Students who excel in all aspects of the program will be awarded scholarships to advanced cybersecurity courses and industry-respected certifications from the SANS Institute, the world leader in cybersecurity education and research.* Students who score well but do not win full scholarships will be included in a drawing for 200 scholarships of $500 each to use at your college.
How does the program work?
Start by registering and then work your way through three stages.
CyberStart Assess
You can play Assess from April 5 to May 10, 2019
This initial tryout level is a set of increasingly difficult challenges representing realistic threat scenarios that will measure your existing knowledge, problem-solving skills, and potential for a career in cybersecurity.
You will learn:
- If you have the aptitude for cybersecurity.
- Problem-solving skills.
- How to think like a cybersecurity professional.
- How to recognize and crack codes.
The most successful students participating in Assess are invited to move on to CyberStart Game.
CyberStart Game
Game is open from May 20 to June 28, 2019
Focusing on self-learning, CyberStart Game features over 200 challenges that build on the skills and knowledge learned during Assess.
You will learn:
- Research techniques.
- Security disciplines, such as: Linux, Cryptography, Programming.
- How to identify security flaws.
- In-depth code cracking.
- How to dissect a cyber criminal's digital trail.
As you reach the highest levels of Game you will also complete an Aptitude Assessment.
The highest-scoring students in CyberStart Game and the Aptitude Assessment are invited to join CyberStart Essentials.
CyberStart Essentials
Essentials is open from July 10 to September 16, 2019
The 50+ modules of CyberStart Essentials provide a foundation of essential knowledge to rapidly accelerate your move into cybersecurity. Building on the skills learned during Game, you will master advanced security topics while working through hands on exercises, quizzes, interactive labs, and exams.
You will learn:
- Theoretical concepts to expand your knowledge.
- The core technologies of applied computer science.
- Networking.
- Programming.
- Computer architecture.
- Operating systems.
- How technology can be exploited.
- Advanced security topics and concepts, including exploitation and penetration testing tools.
Cyber Honors Academy Scholarship *
A select number of high-performing Cyber FastTrack students will be awarded a full Cyber Honors Academy Scholarship where they will master in-demand skills and techniques that employer's value.
Scholarship winners will complete three of SANS most popular, in-depth courses and the associated certifications, including SANS Security Essentials, Hacker Exploits and Incident Handling, and one of five focused electives: Cyber Defense in Depth, Digital Forensics, Industrial Control Systems Security, Intrusion Detection, or Web Application Penetration Testing. These courses are used by the US military, intelligence agencies and law enforcement, as well as all the Fortune 500, to train their cyber teams.
In addition, scholarship recipients will have the chance to network with employers, giving them the opportunity to launch a career in cybersecurity.
* To be eligible for a scholarship at the end of the program, you must have completed (or will complete by the end of the current semester) a minimum of 48 college credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What equipment will I need?
For CyberStart Assess:
- A computer or Chromebook.
- A reliable Internet connection.
- Chrome or Firefox browser (including access to the developer tools within the browser - example: View Source or Inspect Element or scripting abilities).
For CyberStart Game:
- A computer with VMware or Virtual Box, in order to run the CyberStart Virtual Machine for Game. Early levels of Game do not require the virtual machine but you will need this to play beyond Level 5 and try the Forensics challenges.
- Unrestricted access to browser developer tools/settings - example: View Source or Inspect Element or scripting abilities.
Note also: Chromebooks won't work beyond level 6 in Game.
How do I get involved?
It's really easy to join Cyber FastTrack! Simply check the criteria above, and if you're eligible, sign up today. You can begin playing Assess when it opens where you'll start by solving puzzles, working through challenges and learning new skills.