Promoting Cybersecurity Knowledge via Gamification: An Innovative Intervention Design

Cybersecurity is becoming a critical challenge as technology thrives with novel innovations. The increase in cyber threats is quite alarming. Cyber-users’ vulnerability is a serious issue as negligent behaviour alongside a lack of basic cybersecurity knowledge constitutes a major cause of attacks today. Several approaches have been introduced via security systems to provide prevailing defence against numerous cybersecurity attacks. However, they are relinquished to limited impact due to a lack of compliance with security guidelines by end-users deficient in basic cybersecurity knowledge. Gamification has played an important role in educational contexts as it promotes motivation and engaging learning. Though still a new research field, literature has postulated that the innovative application of gamification in cybersecurity could be a winning strategy to combat cybersecurity threats. This paper, via an experimental/qualitative approach, proposes a comprehensive cybersecurity gamification design based on established gamification theories to ensure the validity of the cybersecurity gamification tool. The cybersecurity gamification tool is aimed at promoting the cybersecurity knowledge of end-users. Gamification design has the potential to transform a training environment by altering the player’s emotional experience alongside their social position and sense of identity. Gamification, if implemented properly, can impact beyond just learning but also boost knowledge, learning experience and engagement of the targeted audience through motivation by the game elements. This research is ongoing and the result of a survey evaluating the impact of the gamification tool in promoting cybersecurity knowledge will be presented in a future publication.