Play Games to Protect Yourself Online
By Tom Seest
Can Cyber Security Games Keep You Safe Online?
At BestCybersecurityNews, we help entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, young learners, and seniors learn more about cybersecurity.
Cyber security is the practice of safeguarding information networks and systems against unauthorized access or exposure. This field encompasses a range of activities such as data protection, privacy compliance, network and application security, and disaster recovery.
Companies are turning training into games to keep employees motivated and retain cybersecurity knowledge. These simulations teach individuals how to think like hackers and take preventive measures against attacks.
Can Cyber Security Games Keep You Safe Online?
Table Of Contents
Can Cyber Threats be Played as a Game?
Over the past few years, there have been a series of high-profile cyber attacks against major US companies like Home Depot and Sony Pictures. These events underscore how important it is for both individuals and businesses to receive adequate training on cybersecurity matters.
PwC, the global accountancy firm, has launched a game that simulates the experience of a senior executive team when faced with a serious cyber security breach. This interactive card game aims to teach executives how they would react in such an instance where hackers attempt to take over company systems and hold it hostage.
In The Game of Threats, two teams – attackers and defenders – are given cards and a tablet controller to compete against one another in 12 rounds of rapid decision-making. Players have access to attack or response cards that mirror real-world cyber breaches, so their decisions have the same weight as if they had been facing off against an actual cyber breach.
The scenario room in the game provides each team with their own private screen that displays all available moves during each turn and resources they can spend. An overview of what’s happening is also shown to both teams.
It also allows them to view how much time, money, and infrastructure are left for attack or defense. Furthermore, the game displays the potential damage an attack could do to a company–including how it might impact customers, shareholders and the overall health of the enterprise.
PwC Ireland cyber security director Leonard McAuliffe stated that the purpose of the game is to get people thinking about how they can protect their organizations from potential breaches. He further noted that playing the game allowed companies to experience first-hand how a breach could impact their reputation.
It remains uncertain whether serious games can effectively support cyber security training over the long haul, but they do appear to be an effective tool for public engagement and behavioral modification. Further research is necessary in order to fully comprehend how best to design games that fit within this context.
Can Cyber Threats be Played as a Game?
Can Bad Bull Outsmart Cyber Security?
Bad Bull is one of several games Texas A&M Information Technology has created to promote National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. As its name implies, this game revolves around a fictional hacker named “Bad Bull,” who’s responsible for terrifying faculty and students at Texas A&M University. To unravel his mystery and track him down to claim your reward, you’ll need to answer some cybersecurity questions.
This video-based interactive exercise will keep you entertained for hours. Different scenarios test your knowledge of various topics from narcissism and human error to social engineering and cloud computing. You have the option to play as either a hacker or defender, giving yourself valuable practice in data protection techniques.
Can Bad Bull Outsmart Cyber Security?
Can You Beat the Cyber Escape Room Challenge?
Cybersecurity is a significant challenge that companies must contend with. More than 30% of cybersecurity incidents are caused by human error, making it essential to raise awareness among employees.
PwC has implemented a security awareness program that utilizes cyber escape rooms to engage employees. These games are based on realistic scenarios and give IT personnel an opportunity to practice handling security issues and sharing complex data.
This team-based event requires players to escape a cyberthemed room, solve clues and work together on puzzles. Players must solve these problems within an assigned time limit, demonstrating their knowledge of cybersecurity principles and strategies.
Aside from instilling cybersecurity awareness in students, technology escape rooms also serve as an educational tool that teachers can utilize to supplement their lessons in science, engineering arts and mathematics. By linking together with wider education initiatives like Erasmus+, teachers4Europe, or twinning, technology escape rooms aim to spur interest in these fields and motivate learners alike.
For a game to be successful, it must strike an equilibrium between challenge and reward. The puzzles should be challenging enough for experienced hackers to crack but straightforward enough for beginners to comprehend.
Additionally, security escape games should be tailored to a specific target audience. For instance, if it’s intended for an expansive group of coworkers, clues must be easily comprehendible by all; on the other hand, IT staff requires more challenging challenges.
Designing a cyber escape game that appeals to your target audience and fosters collaboration to identify threats is essential. Furthermore, the experience must be engaging and memorable for players so they retain knowledge and apply it in real-life scenarios.
Traditional training can be boring and uninteresting to users, but cybersecurity awareness training that is engaging and memorable is proven to be highly effective at changing behaviors. Living Security’s CyberEscape Online is the first completely remote team-based cybersecurity training platform that users enjoy learning from and applying in their lives – turning human risk into strength!
Can You Beat the Cyber Escape Room Challenge?
Unlock Cyber Security Challenges in Interland?
Interland is a cyber security game developed by Google and experience design company North Kingdom that aims to teach kids about internet safety, hackers, phishing and cyberbullying. Part of Google’s Be Internet Awesome initiative, Interland features four lands: Kind Kingdom, Reality River, Mindful Mountain and Tower of Treasure.
The game can be enjoyed on desktop, tablet or mobile device and requires no download. Players use a blue owl avatar to navigate around the four lands, complete challenges and puzzles, as well as learn about staying safe online.
Each land offers a distinct gameplay style to keep your child engaged for hours on end while teaching them about cyberbullying, phishing and data protection. In Kind Kingdom, for instance, children learn to block bullies while spreading positive vibes with positive emoji. Meanwhile, Tower of Treasure encourages them to build strong passwords by collecting upper and lower case letters and symbols.
This innovative game provides kids with an engaging way to learn the fundamentals of online safety and privacy. Filled with cartoon graphics, voiceovers, and quiz questions, this engaging experience encourages kids to consider how their information is shared online and who it could be shared with.
The game’s storyline involves a series of cyber challenges designed to develop coding and critical thinking abilities while warning students about the dangers of hacking, password cracking, and social engineering. It would make an excellent choice for middle school and high school students looking to add some computer proficiency to their resumes or pursue further study in cybersecurity.
In addition to the game, Google has also created a suite of resources for parents and educators that includes activity sheets and video tutorials. The Be Internet Awesome initiative was designed in collaboration with online safety experts such as the Family Online Safety Institute, Internet Keep Safe Coalition, and ConnectSafely.
Unlock Cyber Security Challenges in Interland?
Please share this post with your friends, family, or business associates who may encounter cybersecurity attacks.
