A cyber attack simulation for teaching cybersecurity

Type
04B - Conference paper
Editor (Corporation)
Supervisor
Parent work
Proceedings of Society 5.0 Conference 2023
Special issue
DOI of the original publication
Link
Series
Series number
Volume
Issue / Number
Pages / Duration
129-140
Patent number
Publisher / Publishing institution
Place of publication / Event location
Pretoria
Edition
Version
Programming language
Assignee
Practice partner / Client
Abstract
With the rising number of cyberattacks, such as ransomware attacks and cyber espionage, educating non-cybersecurity professionals to recognize threats has become more important than ever before. However, traditional training methods, such as phishing awareness campaigns, training videos and assessments have proven to be less effective over time. Therefore, it is time to rethink the approach on how to train cyber awareness. In this paper we suggest an alternative approach -- a serious game -- to educate awareness for common cyberattacks. While many serious games for cybersecurity education exist, all follow a very similar approach: showing people the effects of a cyber attack on their own system or company network. For example, one of the main tasks in these games is to sort out phishing mails. We developed and evaluated a new type of cybersecurity game: an attack simulator, which shows the entire setting from a different perspective. Instead of sorting out phishing mails the players should write phishing mails to trick potential victims and use other forms of cyberattacks. Our game explains the intention of each attack and shows the consequences of a successful attack. This way, we hope, players will get a better understanding on how to detect cyberattacks.
Keywords
Subject (DDC)
Project
Event
3rd Society 5.0 Conference 2023 - Human centeredness in a cyber-physical society
Exhibition start date
Exhibition end date
Conference start date
05.06.2023
Conference end date
06.06.2023
Date of the last check
ISBN
ISSN
Language
English
Created during FHNW affiliation
Yes
Strategic action fields FHNW
Publication status
Published
Review
Peer review of the complete publication
Open access category
Gold
License
'https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/'
Citation
Scherb, C., Heitz, L., Grimberg, F., Grieder, H., & Maurer, M. (2023). A cyber attack simulation for teaching cybersecurity. In A. Gerber & K. Hinkelmann (Eds.), Proceedings of Society 5.0 Conference 2023 (pp. 129–140). https://doi.org/10.29007/dkdw