Workshop: Think Like a Hacker, Act Like a Defender
Digital Detective Training for Young Cyber Defenders (Grades 4–8)
Language: English
What makes this workshop different
The “Think Like a Hacker, Act Like a Defender” workshop moves beyond traditional internet safety talks. Instead of simply telling children what not to do online, we train them to recognize how digital manipulation works.
Students explore the mindset of attackers in a safe, ethical learning environment, helping them understand how scams, fake messages, online pressure, and social engineering actually work.
By combining cybersecurity principles, behavioural science, and neuroscience, students learn why certain tricks are effective and how to pause, question, and make safer decisions online.
This approach builds long-term digital resilience, not just rule-based safety.
In-Person Student Workshops
Audience: Students in Grades 4–8
Recommended group size: Up to 20 participants per session
Duration: 90 minutes
Location: At the school premises
For availability, please contact [email protected].
After registration, schools or teachers will be contacted in advance to coordinate the session details.
No additional materials are required; all activities are facilitated interactively.
Session Experience
This workshop is designed as a hands-on digital detective mission where students actively investigate online scenarios.
Students work through age-appropriate cyber scenarios and learn how attackers try to exploit curiosity, trust, urgency, or fear.
The focus is not on fear, but on empowering students with awareness and decision-making skills.
About the Instructor
Elcin Biren is a multi-award-winning cybersecurity leader with nearly 20 years of experience in ethical hacking, cyber risk strategy, and digital safety education.
She now focuses on translating complex cyber threats into practical protection for families, schools, and communities. Her digital resilience trainings have reached organizations including Google, Salesforce, and Logitech, as well as thousands of parents and educators worldwide.
Elcin serves as Global Ambassador of the Responsible AI Council and represents Switzerland as its President.
She is the author of Guardians of the Digital Age: Securing the Future (Routledge), a science-fiction-inspired book that introduces children and families to the history of the internet and cybersecurity through time travel.
Most importantly, she is a mother of two, navigating the digital world alongside the families she supports.