Girl Scouts to Earn Badges in Cybersecurity -- Security Today

Girl Scouts to Earn Badges in Cybersecurity

The education program is being developed in a partnership between the Girl Scouts and Palo Alto Networks.

Jun 23, 2017

While Girl Scouts are most known for their delicious cookies, the sweet treats may take a backseat as scouts around the country learn to fight identity thefts and other computer crime with the chance to earn a cybersecurity badge.

The education program, which aims to reach as many as 1.8 million Girl Scouts in kindergarten through sixth grade, is being developed in a partnership between the Girl Scouts and Palo Alto Networks, a security company, the organization said in a press release.

The goal is to prevent cyber attacks and restore trust in digital operations by training “tomorrow’s diverse and innovative team of problem solvers equipped to counter emerging cyber threats,” Mark McLaughlin, chief executive officer of Palo Alto Networks, said in the release.

The move to instill “a valuable 21st century skill set” in girls best known for cookie sales is also aimed at eliminating barriers to cyber security employment, such as gender and geography, said Sylvia Acevedo, the CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA.

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