Teaching Tip: Hackalytics: Using Computer Hacking to Engage Students in Analytics

Abstract

The demand for qualified analytics professionals remains high with forecasts showing a continued need over the next few years. While this demand necessitates instruction in analytics in the classroom, many students find analytics concepts to be complicated and boring. This teaching brief describes a novel approach to teaching analytics through computer hacking. Students are exposed to the entire data lifecycle by first collecting intrusion detection data through the hacking of other student machines and then utilizing simple analytics procedures to analyze this data. Qualitative results show that the students enjoy the activity both in terms of the fun of hacking their fellow classmates as well as analyzing this data in an area less utilized in analytics instruction – security analytics. Three levels of the exercise are provided as well as how-to materials for students to run the exercise