Day 3 at CyberTexas Foundation CyberPatriot Camp: Building Tools, Defending Systems, and Learning from the Pros

⚡🛡️ CyberPatriot Standard Camp – Day 3

Before we dive into Day 3, let's start with a quick recap of Day 2.

Yesterday our cyber campers spent the day exploring Windows 11, learning how the operating system works, navigating system settings, and getting their first real exposure to Command Prompt and PowerShell. They learned that cybersecurity isn't just about knowing commands—it's about understanding how technology works beneath the surface.

But before the day officially began, something happened that completely made my morning.

As campers were arriving and the CyberTexas Foundation team was preparing for Day 3, one of the campers approached me and said he was having a great time at camp. He then pulled out a small Viking figure and showed it to me.

I immediately thought it was awesome.

When I asked him where he got it, he proudly told me that he had 3D printed and painted it himself the night before.

After admiring the craftsmanship, I tried to hand it back to him.

That's when he smiled and said:

"I made it for you."

Needless to say, that absolutely made my day.

One of the greatest rewards of teaching is seeing students become excited about learning and creativity. Receiving that Viking figure is something I will remember for a very long time.

Splitting the Fleet

The evening before, Paulina and I had developed a plan for Day 3.

For part of the morning, I would spend time working with the middle school students while she worked with the high school students. Later we would rotate and continue supporting both groups.

I also had something special planned for each classroom.

Building a Windows Command Shell Toolkit

For the high school students, I created a hands-on lab that combined everything we had discussed during Day 2 and transformed it into a practical cybersecurity tool.

Yesterday, students learned how individual Windows Command Prompt commands interact with the Windows 11 operating system.

Today, they put those skills into action by building their own Interactive Windows Command Shell Toolkit using a Windows batch file.

Throughout the lab, students created a menu-driven toolkit capable of performing administration, troubleshooting, networking, and system information tasks. This is the same type of utility many cybersecurity professionals, system administrators, and CyberPatriot competitors build to improve efficiency when working on systems.

The students didn't simply copy commands into a file.

They built the project incrementally.

After every new feature was added, they tested it.

If something didn't work, they were expected to:

• Read the error message.

• Research what the error meant.

• Research the command itself.

• Identify possible causes.

• Use AI as a troubleshooting assistant rather than an answer machine.

• Make corrections and test again.

One of the most important lessons we continue to emphasize is that AI should enhance learning—not replace learning.

By the end of the lab, students had created a practical toolkit that they can continue using during practice sessions, troubleshooting exercises, and CyberPatriot competitions.

More importantly, they gained experience in scripting, testing, problem-solving, and troubleshooting—the same skills cybersecurity professionals use every day.

The "CyberPatriot Answer Keys" Incident

Of course, no CyberTexas Foundation camp would be complete without a little fun.

With the help of the #CyTX team, I executed a simulated cyberattack using a harmless prank script I originally wrote last year.

The batch file was placed on student desktops and renamed:

"CyberPatriot Answer Keys"

As expected, curiosity quickly took over.

The exercise provided an excellent opportunity to discuss social engineering, trust, curiosity, and why cybersecurity professionals should always question unexpected files—even when they appear helpful.

The lesson was simple:

Hackers often succeed because people click first and think later.

Thankfully, our "attack" only resulted in laughs and learning.

Command Line vs. GUI

To prepare students for more advanced cybersecurity concepts, I spent part of the morning demonstrating the relationship between graphical interfaces and command-line tools.

Using both Command Prompt and PowerShell, we:

• Created directories

• Created files

• Navigated folders

• Viewed results through File Explorer

This allowed students to see that whether you use a graphical interface or a command line, you're ultimately interacting with the same operating system.

The difference is often speed, flexibility, and visibility.

For many of our campers, this was a lightbulb moment.

Learning from Industry

The afternoon featured one of the highlights of the entire camp.

We welcomed special guest speaker Jonathan Gonzalez, AVP of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Synchrony, Cyber, Fraud, and Financial Crime—and a former CyberPatriot competitor.

Jonathan delivered an outstanding presentation on cybercrime, online safety, and the techniques cybercriminals use to obtain sensitive information and gain access to accounts.

He explained:

• How attackers gather information

• Common fraud techniques

• Account compromise methods

• Social engineering tactics

• Practical ways individuals can protect themselves online

When he first opened the floor for questions, the room was quiet.

Then something wonderful happened.

The students started asking questions.

Then more questions.

And more.

Soon the discussion expanded into topics such as:

• Career paths in cybersecurity

• Cyber threat intelligence

• Financial crime investigations

• Real-world attack scenarios

• Some of the most memorable cases he has encountered

Watching students actively engage with a cybersecurity professional and genuinely want to learn more was fantastic.

Those moments are exactly why camps like this matter.

Windows Administration and Rapid Auditing

We finished the day by continuing our Windows 11 and PowerShell instruction.

Students explored commands such as:

PowerShell

• Get-LocalUser

• Get-LocalGroup

• Get-LocalGroupMember Administrators

• whoami

• hostname

• Get-Service

• Get-Process

• Get-NetFirewallProfile

• Get-SmbShare

• Get-HotFix

Command Prompt Essentials

• whoami

• hostname

• systeminfo

• ipconfig

• ipconfig /all

Network Investigation

• ping

• netstat -ano

• netstat -ab

• tracert

• nslookup

Process and Service Analysis

• tasklist

• tasklist /svc

• sc query

We then introduced the Cyber Viking Rapid Audit Checklist, a quick methodology students can use during CyberPatriot competitions and practice sessions:

Rapid Audit Areas

• Forensics

• Administrators

• Policies

• Microsoft Defender

• Firewall

• Services

• Files

• Users

Competition Tips

• Use checklists

• Divide responsibilities

• Document changes

• Watch the scoring report frequently

These habits help competitors stay organized, avoid mistakes, and maximize scoring opportunities.

Looking Ahead

Day 3 was packed with hands-on technical learning, practical cybersecurity skills, professional mentorship, and a healthy dose of fun.

From receiving an unexpected Viking gift to watching students build real administrative tools and engage with an industry professional, the day served as a reminder that cybersecurity education is about much more than technology.

It is about curiosity.

It is about creativity.

It is about learning how systems work.

Most importantly, it is about helping the next generation develop the skills and confidence needed to defend our digital world.

Tomorrow, our cyber campers continue their journey deeper into operating systems, networking, cybersecurity, and digital defense.

The adventure continues.

⚡🛡️ Until then, keep your shields up, your passwords strong, and always remember to...

Cyber Like A Viking!