Intermediate Cybersecurity: Key Links and FAQs

Key links

Live Sessions

BEFORE THE SESSION

Download Zoom (make sure you have the most updated one)
Make sure you have a copy of your personal member ID found in the course portal.
Join at least 5 minutes before the session to make sure that any technical difficulties that you have are resolved before the lecture begins
Use the email address that you used in the CodePath application to make sure that we know that you showed up for the class.
Remember your group number in case you get disconnected from the session (the link to the groupings are at the top of this document).

Where can I find the Zoom link?

This is found on the calendar invites. If you have not received them, reach out to support@codepath.org or through Slack.
- Remote Cybersecurity coordinators:
  - Section 1 - Roque Gimena (@Roque)
  - Section 2 - Janis Hernandez (@Janis)

DURING THE SESSION

Prepend your group number to your Zoom name. You can change your Zoom display name by going to Participants -> Find your name and hover over it -> Click on More -> Rename.
- Example: if Caren was in group 1: she would rename herself as 1 - Caren Chang
After the lecture, students will be grouped and placed into breakout rooms.
Switch your microphone and video on when you are in your breakout rooms for easier collaboration.

How do I join the breakout room?

We set up Zoom so you will be automatically routed to your breakout rooms.
If in case you weren't routed to your room, the host will need to invite you to join the room.
Click Join.
If you missed this prompt, click on the Breakout rooms button at the bottom of the window.

I need help while in a breakout room

You can get help by clicking on “Ask for help”.

Why are my other groupmates not in the breakout room?

It’s most likely due to either of these reasons:
- They are not attending the session today.
- They got disconnected and need to be assigned to your breakout room.
- They have been assigned, but have not clicked on the Join breakout room button.

Our TA is absent. What do we do?

We encourage you to continue to work on the task and discuss the problems amongst yourselves.
Click on the “Ask for help” button if you are stuck and need help.

How do I know if it’s time to leave my breakout room?

An announcement will be made when groups are being called back into the lobby for a wrap-up.

AFTER THE SESSION

The session recording will be posted on Slack once it is available.
Complete the assignment by the deadline.

Course Policies

Homework and Practice Problems

What are the homework tasks for this course?

Security shepherd labs (Units 1-6)
CTF assignments (Units 1-2,4-5)
Project Assignments (Units 3, 7-9)
Capstone (Unit 10)

Do I need to manually submit coursework to CodePath?

Only for Assignments 3, 7, 8, and 9. All the other assignments are automatically graded therefore there is no further action required on your end.

➡️ Reach out to us at support@codepath.org if:

You used a security shepherd login or CTF token that is different from what we provided.

What happens if I miss a submission?

This will unfortunately count as a strike. You are allowed only 2 late assignments (CTF and Project Assignments) and Labs for the whole duration of the program and it is automatically triggered once you miss a submission or submit an incomplete coursework.
Late submissions need to be submitted within 48 hours after the original deadline.
If you need additional time extension due to extenuating circumstances, email support@codepath.org.

Can I skip homework entirely?

No, all coursework submissions are required and need to be submitted within the deadline / extension given.
Exceeding the allowed late submissions will result to your grades not being recorded anymore and not getting any course completion certificate.
If you need additional time extension due to extenuating circumstances, email support@codepath.org.

I received a missing submission email by mistake

This usually happens because of the following reasons:
- The submission could not be found.
- You did not click on the Submit button for the assignments that need manual submission.
- The account is incorrectly mapped.
Reply to the email to let us know, and we’ll look into it further.

I received an email saying that my submission is incomplete. What does this mean?

This means that you were not able to complete all the required tasks by the deadline.
You will need to complete the remainder by the given deadline extension (if not yet used).

I’m stuck, how can I ask for help?

Post your question on the help channel and tag the TA group.

Attendance and absences

How many absences are allowed?

You are allowed 3 absences for the duration of the course.
Your grades will no longer be graded/monitored, and you will not get any course completion certificate if you exceed this.

What happens when I miss a session?

You will receive an email acknowledging your absence.
You will still be required to complete the assignment by the deadline.
The session recording will be posted so that you can watch them at your own time.

I was marked absent by mistake. What do I do?

This typically happens if you join the session using a mobile device. To make sure this doesn’t happen:
- Use a laptop/PC device.
- Register using the email used in your CodePath application.
You did not finish the class and left early.

General admissions

Will I receive a certificate of completion?

Yes, as long as:
- You did not exceed the allowed absences.
- You did not exceed the allowed missing/late/incomplete submission.
- You get a final score of 60% and above.
We’ll send out digital certificates a week after the course wraps up.

Does my access to the course have an expiry?

No, you will continue to have lifetime access to this course as long as you use the same GitHub account associated with your CodePath application.

Withdrawing from the program

How can I withdraw from the program?

You can do this from your course portal. At the top right you will find Quick Actions, where you can select Withdraw from course from the drop-down.

What happens when I withdraw from the program?

You will be given observer access to the course. Some key elements on how this is different from participating in the actual class are:
- You will continue to have access to the course materials online but are not part of a class.
- You will not have access to the Slack channels.
- You have no due dates or any expectations of observers imposed by us.

💡 Check our Knowledge Base for more FAQs about the course.