Enhancing Cybersecurity Awareness Through Game-Based Learning
摘要
As cybersecurity threats become increasingly complex, there is a growing need to educate individuals on recognizing and defending against malicious online attacks. However, traditional cybersecurity training methods often fail to engage or motivate users, especially those unfamiliar with technical concepts. While gaming presents an opportunity to enhance learning, most existing cybersecurity games lack the appeal needed to attract players who enjoy more action-oriented genres, such as First-Person Shooters (FPS). To address this, “Cyberforce,” has been developed to enhance awareness by visually demonstrating cyberattack mechanisms through an engaging and enjoyable learning experience. The objective is to defend the servers and the kernel systems from being infected by malicious bots. This FPS-based game is created using the free Unreal Engine 4 Core Game Launcher, which offers a wide range of beginner-friendly assets. 30 participants did the user testing and 100% agreed that playing the game improved their understanding of basic cybersecurity principles. Ultimately, by combining education with gaming, “Cyberforce” provides an accessible and entertaining way for users to gain insights into cyberattacks, making learning less stressful and more effective.