Optiv announced CyberBOT, a free, hands-on cybersecurity learning program designed to help classrooms, nonprofit organizations and communities develop practical skills for recognizing and defending against common cyber threats, helping people stay safer and more confident in a digital, AI-powered world.
“Schools, nonprofits and local organizations play a vital role in strengthening the communities they serve, but cybercriminals don’t discriminate based on an organization’s mission or the people it serves. At the same time, many of these organizations lack the resources to dedicate to cybersecurity,” said Amber Peacher, senior corporate social responsibility manager at Optiv. “CyberBOT helps close that gap by giving educators and community leaders a free, easy-to-use resource to build safer digital habits and strengthen cyber resilience year-round.”
Developed by Optiv’s cyber education team, the CyberBOT program brings cybersecurity concepts to life through five interactive sessions focused on common cyber threats people encounter in their everyday lives and best practices for staying protected:
- Cyber Threat Actors: Identify cyber threat actors, motivations, tactics and real-world attack scenarios.
- Email Security: Recognize phishing attempts, suspicious messages and email threats.
- Password Security: Build stronger passwords and protect accounts from unauthorized access.
- Social Media Security: Manage online privacy and reduce exposure to social media threats.
- Mobile Security: Protect mobile devices, applications and personal information from threats.
Each session combines hands-on activities with classroom exercises designed to make cybersecurity concepts engaging and memorable. Activities include short stories, posters, group analysis, games and role-playing — giving participants opportunities to apply what they learn in realistic scenarios.
CyberBOT also provides educators and facilitators with a comprehensive Educator Guide, offering everything needed to deliver the program, including workshop themes, activity instructions, timing guidance and printable templates. Educators can also use a downloadable certificate template to recognize students for completing each session and demonstrating a commitment to cybersecurity awareness, digital safety and responsible technology use.
Download the free CyberBOT Educator Guide
“We have been eagerly awaiting this cyber awareness training from Optiv. The more our students know, the safer they will be as they engage online,” said Mary Esselman, CEO of Operation Breakthrough, an organization that provides a safe, loving and educational environment for children in poverty and empowers their families through advocacy, emergency aid and education. “These skills are critical, and they’re offered in a format that really captures kids’ attention. We offer our teens career exploration in cybersecurity, and Optiv’s course will be a great introduction to the field.”
