AQ'S Corner

Photo Credit: AQ’s Corner LLC ChatGPT

As a cybersecurity analyst and children’s author, I’ve always believed that cybersecurity shouldn’t begin in adulthood; it should begin in childhood. And now, after months of planning and aligning with my business blueprint, I’m excited to announce the development of my first-ever Capture the Flag (CTF) cybersecurity challenge for kids, designed specifically for ages 8 to 12. My daughter is already deep into testing the missions. She’s not only my first CyberHero, she’s also my QA team.

What Is Capture the Flag (CTF) in Cybersecurity?

In the cybersecurity world, a Capture the Flag (CTF) competition is a game-based learning exercise where players solve technical challenges to uncover “flags” which are usually hidden codes like flag{you_cracked_it}. These challenges help build real-world skills like:

• Critical thinking
  
• Problem-solving
  
• Pattern recognition
  
• Cyber awareness and digital literacy
  

CTFs are often used in advanced competitions, university labs, and even professional security training.

My version is designed with kids, classrooms, and parents in mind, making the format safer, easier, and fun without losing the core learning objectives.

Photo Credit: AQ’s Corner LLC

A Kid-Friendly CTF, Reimagined

Let’s face it: most CTFs are built for high schoolers, college students, or tech pros. But younger kids can and should learn these concepts too. So I’ve re-engineered the format using tools like Google Forms and Google Sites to create a simplified, gamified, and safe experience.

Children will go through four interactive missions designed to teach real cybersecurity awareness, using cartoon-style prompts, playful questions, and story-based learning.

The Missions Include:

1. Password Power Showdown
   Kids learn how to identify strong vs. weak passwords and why length matters.
   
2. Spot the Phish
   They’re challenged to detect fake emails, suspicious messages, and phishing traps.
   
3. Game Console Scams
   Based on real gaming scenarios, kids must recognize account scams and protect their virtual identity.
   
4. Password Length Lockdown
   A final test on using longer, stronger passphrases to lock down a virtual vault.
   

Each mission includes multiple-choice challenges, gamified instructions, and kid-friendly “flags” (safe codes or answers that mimic the traditional format). Instead of reverse engineering binary, they reverse engineering bad decisions in online spaces.

Tested at Home First

Before launching this to the broader community, my daughter has taken the reins as my primary tester. She’s already completed one of the runs on a mission. Her feedback is shaping how the experience flows, from the voice in the instructions to how questions are worded for a kid’s brain..

Technical Tools I Used

To make this accessible for schools, communities, and families, I used:

• Google Forms – To create each challenge with multiple-choice “flag” answers
  
• Google Sites – To build a landing page (“CyberHero HQ”) for navigation
  
• Canva – To design certificates and visuals
  
• No personal data is collected, and everything complies with COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act), ensuring a safe, anonymous play experience.
  

Why CTFs Matter for Kids

Even in a simplified form, Capture the Flag:

• Builds cyber awareness early
  
• Reinforces decision-making in digital environments
  
• Makes learning feel like a game, not a lecture
  

It gives kids agency over their own online safety, something most adults wish they had earlier.

From Page to Play: How My Book Inspired the CTF

This entire initiative is a direct evolution of my children’s book, “Emani and the CyberHero Response Team”, where a group of kids investigates a cybersecurity incident during Incident Response Preparation. That story introduces cybersecurity through mystery and team-based problem solving.

This CTF challenge is the next logical step. It translates the story into action, letting kids become the CyberHeroes they read about.

Aligned with My Business Plan

This project also fulfills a core objective in my business plan for AQ’S CORNER LLC: to create accessible cybersecurity learning tools for families, educators, and communities. This CTF challenge is:

• A scalable digital product
  
• A school-ready engagement tool
  
• A bridge between literature, technology, and play
  

I’m proud to say that I’m not only staying aligned with my goals, I’m executing them one mission at a time.

What’s Next?

Once testing wraps up at home, I’ll be rolling this out in a local community event, inviting kids, parents, and educators to experience the challenge in full. My daughter will be there, cheering on her fellow CyberHeroes.

Educators, librarians, and parents interested in early access or hosting a Capture the Flag (CTF) event at your school or organization are encouraged to submit an inquiry through our contact page.

Together, we’re not just teaching cybersecurity, we’re raising the next generation of digital defenders.