Published on: 2026-10-20
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
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Moscow is launching a pilot cybersecurity project for students in grades seven through nine of mathematics and IT profiles. More than two thousand schoolchildren will participate. They will not only get acquainted with the basics of information security but will also master some of the most promising IT professions: learning to identify vulnerabilities in digital products, understand their causes, and build protection against threats. This was reported by Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development.
“The interest of city schoolchildren in modern technologies is constantly growing, and for us it is important that their acquaintance with them is not limited to theory. In the new classes, the children will be able to immediately dive into practice: in game and simulation laboratories, they will analyze real cyber threat scenarios and learn to act in conditions close to reality. This format will help develop critical and systemic thinking, as well as give schoolchildren the opportunity to get to know cybersecurity and understand how interesting this field is to them. Today, such specialists are needed in every industry. And for more than two thousand students in grades seven through nine of mathematical and IT streams who are preparing to connect their future with the high-tech sector, these classes will become the first step toward a profession,” Anastasia Rakova said.
The remote course includes one to two sessions per week on the “Khakademia” platform. This is a modern educational project in the field of IT and digital security, established in 2026. The program is entirely based on game simulations: instead of traditional lectures, students immediately immerse themselves in simulated cyber threat conditions. The practical method helps schoolchildren grasp theory and develop skills needed by real IT specialists.
The training is based on three gaming simulations. The first, NetHack, is dedicated to reconnaissance and management of a digital network: participants explore the computer network, chart a path to the goal, unlock nodes, and pick up tools, trying not to raise an alarm. This allows them to take on the role of an ethical hacker who preemptively identifies vulnerabilities in the defense.
The second simulation, PhysHack, covers physical, social, and digital security: students need to discreetly reach a specific computer in a modeled office. To pass the second simulation, they must monitor character movements, search for left-behind access cards, and notice unlocked doors. This way, students learn the basics of physical security and social engineering tricks.
The third simulation, DFIR, is dedicated to investigations and response to cyber incidents. The participant becomes a digital detective: after a simulated attack, they collect and correlate evidence to reconstruct the incident and understand how to protect against it in the future.
In addition to cybersecurity, on the “Khakademiya” platform, schoolchildren will learn about digital twins of IT systems, agents and algorithms, as well as artificial intelligence. The course includes nine lessons.
Each student’s individual progress is automatically recorded on the platform. A detailed progress chronicle and a skills map are created in the personal profile, recommending further steps in learning. The system thoroughly analyzes the student’s actions: it takes into account the number of attempts, mistakes made, and final results. This allows for precise tracking of learning dynamics, identifying the teenager’s strengths, and highlighting topics that require additional work.
The project provides for comprehensive pedagogical support. Teachers will be able to use the obtained data and methodological materials to mentor students during the learning process. On their part, the specialists of “Khakademiya” will ensure continuous consulting and methodological support for teachers on all arising issues.
Educational verticals are a Moscow project that helps students consciously and independently choose their further education after finishing basic school.
In vertical classes, students study specialized subjects in depth to pass the main state exam with high scores and enter pre-professional and specialized classes. In addition, they acquire their first professional skills in specialized courses and solve practice-oriented tasks related to various industries. You can learn more about verticals at official website and in the “Mospredprof” channels in messengers “Max” and “Telegram.”
More about Moscow education — on the official channel in the messenger “Max”.
Providing the city’s schoolchildren with modern digital services increases the efficiency of the educational process, helps children competently plan their school and personal time, and aligns with the project’s objectives “All the Best for Children” national project “Youth and children”.
More about Russia’s national projects and the capital’s contribution can be found on a special page.
To learn how the capital has changed over the past years, what initiatives aimed at making the lives of citizens even more comfortable are currently being implemented, and what awaits Moscow and its residents in the near future, one can find in the large-scale special project on the mos.ru portal, dedicated to the development of key sectors in Moscow. These include transport, industry, healthcare, education, sports, and construction.
On the project page “Education” it tells about how educational institutions are transformed during reconstruction under the program “My School” and how the update affects the quality of education. Re-equipping colleges allows students to acquire practical skills during their studies and obtain professions that are in demand in the labor market.
Get the main news promptly on the official channels of the city of Moscow in messengers “Max” and “Telegram”.
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