What your child will learn
Identify why default credentials are the #1 IoT attack vector and change them on 6 simulated smart device setup screens
Apply the principle of least privilege by auditing 8 smart speaker permissions and disabling microphone history, third-party skills, and voice purchasing
Evaluate connected toy risk profiles — spotting unencrypted Bluetooth, absent firmware updates, always-on mics, and COPPA violations — using real cases (CloudPets, VTech)
How this mission works
A 3-scene interactive lab targeting the IoT and smart device threats parents worry about most — and no K-12 competitor covers. Scene 1: 6 smart device setup screens (smart speaker, baby monitor, smart TV, robot vacuum, smart lock, kid tablet). For each: keep default password, set a strong new password, or skip setup — learn why admin/admin is the attacker's first guess. Scene 2: a new smart speaker arrives in the bedroom. Toggle 8 permissions (always-listening mic, voice history, third-party skills, voice purchasing, contact sync, location, camera, child voice profile) using least-privilege principles. Scene 3: 5 connected toy review cards — talking doll, kids smartwatch, AR pet, internet-connected teddy, learning robot. Spot the red flags before you connect them to your network.
What students actually encounter
Baby monitor setup screen: username "admin", password "1234". Keep it, change it, or skip? (Hint: researchers found 900,000 baby monitors with this exact credential online.)
Smart speaker permission: "Always-listening microphone — required for voice commands." Toggle off? (Learn why this feeds cloud voice training datasets.)
"TeddyBot" review: Bluetooth unencrypted, no firmware update schedule, voice recordings stored on vendor cloud with no deletion date. Safe to give to a 6-year-old?
Cipher is with them the whole way
When a student gets stuck on Smart Device & IoT Defender, Cipher appears with a mission-specific nudge — no spoilers, just a hint toward the right thinking. Make a wrong choice, and Cipher explains the real-world consequence. Finish the mission, and Cipher generates a personalized performance debrief based on exactly how the student played it.
ISTE alignment
Students manage their digital identity and data in connected device environments, and apply systems-thinking to analyze how IoT devices create interconnected attack surfaces across home networks.