About AP Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is a high-demand, high-growth field with well-paid, entry-level positions and more than 500,000 open jobs across the U.S. Yet fewer than 4% of high school students have access to cybersecurity training in their school.1 2 AP Cybersecurity will help meet this vital need by introducing students to foundational concepts and skills they can apply to cybersecurity roles and a range of related career paths.
About the Course
In the 2025-26 school year, schools will participate in the second pilot for AP Cybersecurity, with the course launching nationally in 2026-27.
AP Cybersecurity is a yearlong high school course that offers a broad introduction to the field and aligns closely with a college-level, introductory cybersecurity course. Students learn about common threats and vulnerabilities and how they combine to create risk. Students study how individuals and organizations manage risk and how risk can be mitigated through a defense-in-depth strategy. Students explore specific vulnerabilities, attacks, mitigations, and detection measures across a variety of domains including physical spaces, computer networks, devices, and data and applications. Throughout the course, students consider the impact of cybersecurity on individuals, organizations, societies, and governments. Content and skills taught in the course align with the professional skills outlined in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Workforce Framework.
AP Cybersecurity is part of the AP Career Kickstart™ group of courses, which are designed to accelerate high school students on their paths to in-demand careers.
AP Cybersecurity Course Framework
The course framework is organized into five units that reflect key domains of cybersecurity knowledge and practice:
- Unit 1: Introduction to Security
- Unit 2: Securing Spaces
- Unit 3: Securing Networks
- Unit 4: Securing Devices
- Unit 5: Securing Applications and Data
Unit scenarios throughout the course offer authentic cybersecurity situations that help students apply their developing knowledge and skills to relevant, real-world applications.
Course Skills
The AP Cybersecurity course framework outlines course skills that are critical to the deep understanding and application of cybersecurity knowledge and practice. Students should develop and use these skills throughout the course.
| Skill Category 1 | Skill Category 2 | Skill Category 3 | Skill Category 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyze Risk Evaluate risk to organizational assets. | Mitigate Risk Implement protective and deterrent security controls. | Detect Attacks Implement detection methods, monitor systems, and analyze evidence. | Collaborate Work with others and AI to accomplish a task. | |
| Communicating concepts Explain key cybersecurity concepts | 1.A Identify, with and without the support of AI, vulnerabilities, threats, and attack methods, and explain how they generate risk. | 2.A Identify security controls, and explain how they mitigate risks. | 3.A Identify methods for monitoring systems, and explain how they detect attacks. | 4.A Develop clear, shared team objectives related to a cybersecurity task. |
| Investigating problems Explore the parameters of a problem to plan for solutions | 1.B Determine ways adversaries exploit vulnerabilities to compromise an asset. | 2.B Determine layered security controls that address vulnerabilities. | 3.B Determine strategies and methods to detect attacks. | 4.B Determine clear roles and responsibilities for members of a team working to accomplish a cybersecurity task. |
| Assessing impacts Evaluate impact on systems | 1.C Evaluate, with and without the support of AI, the likelihood and impact of risks. | 2.C Evaluate, with and without the support of AI, the impact of protective risk-management strategies. | 3.C Evaluate the impact of threat detection methods. | 4.C Implement AI as a collaboration tool individually and as a group. |
| Enacting solutions Apply and communicate solutions | 1.D Document, with and without the support of AI, the likelihood and impact of risks. | 2.D Implement and log mitigations with and without the support of AI. | 3.D Detect and classify cyberattacks by analyzing digital evidence with and without the support of AI. | 4.D Complete assigned work to accomplish a collaborative cybersecurity task. |
“AP Cybersecurity opens countless doors for students by offering real-life experiences in the field of cybersecurity. It prepares students for the workforce and equips them for both two- and four-year colleges. The AP Cybersecurity course is particularly beneficial for hands-on learners, providing inclusive opportunities for all students to engage with the subject.”
— Beth Cerrone, National Cybersecurity Education Award winner
How We Developed AP Cybersecurity
Every AP course is designed—and regularly updated—to include current data, evidence, and findings in each discipline. AP courses are designed to include the content and skills most frequently taught in introductory college courses, so that students who demonstrate mastery on the AP Exam can be placed into upper-division college courses with a strong foundation for success.
The AP Cybersecurity course was built in partnership with industry advisors, higher education faculty, high school educators, and career and technical education (CTE) leaders to expand national access to outstanding cybersecurity education that today is only available in some communities. These advisors were engaged to evaluate the research, recommend course skills, scope, and sequence, and review elements of the course framework and the AP Exam.
Credit and Placement
The AP Program engaged cybersecurity and information technology faculty from colleges and universities to ensure that AP Cybersecurity reflects the academic rigor of introductory college courses in the field. Students with qualifying AP Cybersecurity Exam scores can earn credit or placement in required or elective courses at colleges and universities.
Industry Recognition
The AP Program partnered with industry leaders to ensure the course skills align with employer demand for core requirements in aligned, high-growth and high-demand jobs. Along with the potential to earn college credit, students with qualifying scores on the exam will earn the AP Cybersecurity Credential. Created in partnership with industry experts, AP Career Kickstart Employer-Endorsed Credentials accelerate students’ progress toward in-demand careers and align with the needs of employers, college-level coursework, and secondary CTE programs.
Supporting Teachers
Course Framework
The AP Cybersecurity course framework provides a clear and detailed description of the course requirements necessary for student success. The framework specifies what students must know, understand, and be able to do to qualify for college credit or placement and to earn the AP Cybersecurity Credential.
Professional Development
Teachers can participate in a range of professional learning offerings for AP Cybersecurity, such as AP Summer Institutes (APSI) and AP Workshops. Visit Professional Learning Opportunities for more information.
Online AP Community
The AP Cybersecurity online community is a space for AP teachers and coordinators to connect with colleagues, participate in lively discussions with experts, and share classroom-ready materials. The community will also offer optional email updates to help make the most of your AP Cybersecurity classroom.
AP Cybersecurity Advisory Committees
The AP Cybersecurity course and credential are developed with faculty and industry experts.
Meet Our Higher Education Advisory Committee
- Dane Brown, U.S. Cyber Team Coach, Annapolis, Md.
- Jun Dai, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass.
- Melissa Dark, DARK Enterprises, Inc., Lafayette, Ind.
- Chance Folmar, Front Range Community College, Westminster, Colo.
- Charles Gardner, Cyber Innovation Center, Bossier City, La.
- Tommy Gober, Emporia State University, Emporia, Kan.
- Angel Hueca, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Terri Johnson Akse, University of Colorado–Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colo.
- Kyle Jones, Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio
- Bekah Michael, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Michael Qaissaunee, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, N.J.
- Diego Tibaquirá, Miami Dade College, Miami, Fla.
- Anthony Tsetse, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, Ky.
Meet Our Industry Advisory Committee
- Charles Banks, VP and Manager of Information Security Services, U.S. Bank, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Carol Kim, Director of Technology, Data, & AI, IBM, Armonk, N.Y.
- Dr. Cynthia Sutherland, CISSP Chief Information Security Officer (Former) Joint Chiefs of Staff