High school students in Canberra have taken part in a cyber security bootcamp focused on ethical hacking and online legal boundaries, as law enforcement and industry groups look to steer technically skilled young people away from cybercrime.
The Australian Federal Police-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JPC3) hosted the re_B00TCMP program at the University of New South Wales’ Canberra City campus on Wednesday (28 October, 2026). Organisers said the program is designed to help students understand the line between ethical hacking and criminal activity, while exposing them to cyber security career pathways.
The session was supported by the Australian Signals Directorate, SANS Institute and UNSW, with participants receiving mentoring and “firsthand insights” into cyber roles, according to the release.
As part of the day, students competed in a “Capture the Flag” event, completing puzzles modelled on real-world incidents. Challenges included cracking codes, finding hidden messages and identifying vulnerabilities—activities commonly used in cyber skills training to simulate attacker techniques in a controlled environment.
Thirty-five students aged 12 to 18 were selected by the JPC3 based on “standout IT skills and tech curiosity”, the AFP said.
A parallel program for parents, carers and teachers was run alongside the student activities, providing guidance on staying engaged with young people’s online activities and encouraging lawful use of technical skills. The AFP said parent sessions also covered risks including cybercrime, the dark web, social media and gaming platform threats, online hacking forums and child exploitation.
AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Cyber and Special Investigations Matthew Gale said the program was intended to educate young people before they cross legal lines online.
“re_B00TCMP is an opportunity to educate talented young people and expose them to positive cyber career opportunities that exist when they use their skills within the boundaries of the law, such as cybercrime investigations and the cyber security industry,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Gale said.
“You would never teach a young person to drive without first teaching them the road rules. re_B00TCMP is unique in Australia as an educational intervention program to inspire young minds to channel their passion for IT into positive, lawful and socially-beneficial activities.”
An Australian Signals Directorate spokesperson said programs like re_B00TCMP help broaden the future cyber workforce.
“Diversity powers our mission. To achieve our goals, we require people with strong integrity and a mix of skills, passion, adaptability, resilience, curiosity and fresh thinking,” the spokesperson said.
SANS Institute ANZ Country Director Colin Brading said the organisation’s involvement reflected an interest in developing young cyber talent and emphasised the need for ethical judgement alongside technical curiosity.
UNSW Rector and Dean Professor Emma Sparks said demand for cyber security and digital technology professionals continued to grow and students needed visibility of available pathways.
“Bringing together education, industry and law enforcement creates powerful opportunities to engage students with real-world cyber challenges and showcase the positive impact they can have through technology,” Professor Sparks said.
Originally developed by the Dutch National Police in 2021, re_B00TCMP is now delivered in the Netherlands, Australia and Portugal. The AFP said its expansion has been supported by the International Cyber Offender Prevention (InterCOP) network, involving 44 countries focused on preventing young people from becoming involved in cybercrime.
The AFP said re_B00TCMP has been delivered previously in Perth, Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart and Melbourne, with post-program evaluations reporting that 98 per cent of participants understood legal boundaries online after attending. More than 90 per cent expressed interest in pursuing a career in cyber security or learning more about the industry.
