Peek inside the world of hackers and learn the latest techniques to stay safe online at the 7th Annual Cyber Security Fair.

This year's fair will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 28. Workshops with hands-on demonstrations will be held in the Bronco Student Center and a vendor fair, with experts demonstrating products, will be at the new Bronco Commons near the Kellogg Gym. Admission to the fair is free and all participants will have a chance to win an XBOX 360 and other prizes.

Learning hacking tricks may seem like a contradiction to staying safe but it is necessary, event organizers say.

"Parents routinely teach their children to stay safe by not talking to strangers," says Chris Laasch, IT administrator for Student Affairs Information Technology Services. "Yet, the same children freely post personal information using insecure networks for strangers to view. We need to understand that the good 'ole days of hacking for bragging rights are long gone; it is now about profits and organized crime. The Cyber Security Fair will show hackers' methods so people can better protect themselves online."

In the "Home Wireless Security" workshop from 10:30 a.m. to noon, participants will watch in real time how easy it is to view content and access personal information from a computer user who is not connected to a secure computer network. Presenting members of Students with an Interest in the Future of Telecommunications (SWIFT) will stress that staying safe online doesn't have to cost a lot of money by using several free and secure downloadable software products.

In the "What Happens in Vegas Stays on Facebook" workshop from noon to 1:30 p.m., attendees will learn that the personal information they share, the pictures they post, even the Facebook games they play provide an abundance of information to advertisers, employers, and, of course, hackers. Business club Management Information Systems Student Association (MISSA) will help participants do background checks of themselves and will provide information on the essentials in protecting people's online personas.

"Everyone who attends- even those who consider themselves computer savvy - will leave with at least one piece of information that will make them safer next time they go online," says fair organizer Anna Carlin, a professor in the College of Business Administration.

The fair is in recognition of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a public awareness campaign to encourage people to protect their computers. All student presentations go through a review process by members of the university's Division of Instructional & Information Technology to ensure accuracy.

On Friday, Oct. 29, an all-day course is being offered to advanced computer students who want to learn more about cybersecurity. Presented by the senior security consultant for Foundstone, the "Ultimate Hacking Class" will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Ursa Major A & B in the Bronco Student Center. The student-only event is $39 for those who pre-register and $50 in cash for those who pay the day of the event. Attendance is limited to 40 and students can pre-register for the event now. Lunch and a T-shirt also be provided.

For more information on the fair and hacking class, go to www.cpp.edu/~cyberfair.