MC2 Hosts Password Safety Activity at Maryland Day 2015

The Maryland Cybersecurity Center (MC2) and the Division of Information Technology (IT) joined forces for Maryland Day 2015 on April 25 to teach visiting families about the importance of powerful passwords and Internet safety.

Volunteers from MC2, the Division of IT and the ACES honors program interacted with community members to teach them safety tips and make a plan for their next password change. The station, titled “Powerful Passwords,” was part of the Division of IT’s “Tech Town” on Mitchell Field.

Through a hands-on, kid-friendly activity, families were taught password do’s and don’ts and learned how to apply the elements of length, complexity and variation in designing a powerful password.

Participants used colorful magnetic letters, numbers and symbols to design passwords that will keep their online transactions secure. Participants took away a keychain as a fun reminder of how to apply their newfound knowledge. Families were also provided with literature about password and Internet safety, as well as information about cybersecurity education programs offered through MC2.