SaTC-EDU: EAGER: Developing metaverse-native security and privacy curricula for high school students

虚拟世界指的是一个由计算机生成的虚拟空间，用户可以在其中实时互动。它使用不同的技术和平台，允许广泛集成到我们生活的各个方面。然而，它也带来了一系列安全和隐私威胁。虽然虚拟世界被设想为社交媒体平台的演变，但虚拟世界模糊了物理和虚拟身份之间的界限，并融入了虚拟经济，创造了独特的安全挑战，如虚拟犯罪、盗窃和欺诈交易。由于青少年处于脆弱的发展阶段，缺乏经验和技术熟练程度，他们在虚拟世界中面临网络诈骗、网络欺凌和身份盗窃的风险。项目团队将开发虚拟本地安全和隐私课程。发达的课程将扮演一个至关重要的角色，类似于防御性驾驶课程，为进入元宇宙做准备。虽然参与可能不会消除所有潜在的“事故”，但它将大大减少事故，并最大限度地减少对青少年安全和隐私的影响。此外，通过让目前在网络安全领域代表性不足的社区的学生参与设计和开发虚拟本地安全和隐私课程，我们可以培养他们对网络安全领域的兴趣，并确保这些课程对他们的同龄人有意义。这种合作方式有助于加强国家网络安全人才队伍。此外，这项工作的研究工具、评估工具和成果将通过研讨会、出版物、演讲和门户网站传播。通过分享知识和见解，我们可以提高意识，并使个人能够安全可靠地浏览虚拟世界。该项目有两个相互关联的目标：教育青少年了解虚拟世界中独特的安全和隐私挑战，并激励他们在大学里攻读与网络安全相关的专业，并在该领域从事后续的职业。为了实现这些目标，项目团队将与高中生合作，以确定特定于元数据的安全和隐私威胁场景。通过他们的参与，我们将设计和开发虚拟本地安全和隐私课程。这些课程将在他们的高中学生中进行试点，以评估其有效性并改进其内容。该项目将为网络安全教育和劳动力发展做出重大贡献，并产生若干关键成果。首先，该团队将创建一套原型的虚拟世界网络安全场景，旨在吸引和激励高中生。其次，团队将开发并记录与年轻人迭代共同开发的原则。最后，该团队将制作能够监测和评估学生对网络安全的学习和兴趣的材料。该项目将进行持续的研究和全面的形成性和总结性评估，以获得见解和经验教训，进一步推进高中网络安全教育。该项目由安全与可信网络空间（SaTC）计划支持，该计划资助解决网络安全和隐私问题的提案，在这种情况下，特别是网络安全教育。SaTC项目与《联邦网络安全研究与发展战略计划》和《国家隐私研究战略》保持一致，旨在保护和维护网络系统日益增长的社会和经济效益，同时确保安全和隐私。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The metaverse refers to a computer-generated virtual space where users can interact with one another in real-time. It uses different technologies and platforms, allowing for widespread integration into various aspects of our lives. However, it also brings up a range of security and privacy threats. Although the metaverse is envisioned as the evolution of social media platforms, the metaverse blurs the boundaries between physical and virtual identities and incorporates virtual economies, creating unique security challenges like virtual crimes, theft, and fraudulent transactions. Teenagers, due to their vulnerable developmental stage, lack of experience, and technological fluency, are at risk for online scams, cyberbullying, and identity theft within the metaverse. The project team will develop metaverse-native security and privacy curricula. The developed curricula will assume a crucial role, akin to defensive driving courses, in preparation for entering the metaverse. Although participating may not eliminate all potential "accidents," it will significantly reduce them and minimize the impact on teenagers’ safety and privacy. Moreover, by involving students from communities currently underrepresented in cybersecurity in the design and development of the metaverse-native security and privacy curricula, we can foster their interest in the field of cybersecurity and ensure that the curricula are meaningful to their peers. This collaborative approach contributes to strengthening the national cybersecurity workforce pipeline. Additionally, the research instruments, assessment tools, and outcomes of this work will be disseminated through workshops, publications, presentations, and a web portal. By sharing knowledge and insights, we can promote awareness and empower individuals to navigate the metaverse safely and securely. The project has two interconnected goals: to educate teenagers about the unique security and privacy challenges in the metaverse and to inspire them to pursue cybersecurity-related majors in college and subsequent careers in the field. To accomplish these objectives, the project team will collaborate with high school students to identify metaverse-specific security and privacy threat scenarios. Through their participation, we will design and develop metaverse-native security and privacy curricula. These curricula will be piloted with their high school cohort to evaluate their effectiveness and refine their content. The project will make significant contributions to cybersecurity education and workforce development, yielding several key outcomes. First, the team will create a set of prototyped metaverse cybersecurity scenarios designed to engage and motivate high school students. Second, the team will develop and document principles for iterative co-development with youth. Lastly, the team will produce materials that enable the monitoring and assessment of student learning and interest in cybersecurity. The project will conduct ongoing research and comprehensive formative and summative evaluations to gain insights and lessons learned, further advancing cybersecurity education in high schools. This project is supported by the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program, which funds proposals that address cybersecurity and privacy, and in this case specifically cybersecurity education. The SaTC program aligns with the Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan and the National Privacy Research Strategy to protect and preserve the growing social and economic benefits of cyber systems while ensuring security and privacy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.