Design of cyber security awareness game utilizing a social media framework

Abstract

Social networking sites are a popular medium of interaction and communication. Social networking sites provide the ability to run applications and games to test users' knowledge. The popularity of social networks makes it an ideal tool through which awareness can be created on existing and emerging security threats. This paper proposes an interactive game hosted by social networking sites with the purpose of creating awareness on information security threats and vulnerabilities. The game applies principles of good game design which includes: the decisions over hypermedia, multimedia and hypertext to achieve perception, comprehension or projection, comprehensive database of questions, weighted system, use of practical data, automation, dynamcis, effort and user acceptance. The aim of the paper is show the effectiveness of using a virtual tool in cyber awareness creation. This paper will thus deal with the proposal of an interactive web-based game which informs and then tests users about potential security threats and vulnerabilities. © 2011 IEEE.