Gamified cybersecurity training can be an effective way to engage employees and help them retain important security practices. Here are 7 ideas for gamified cybersecurity training for businesses:
1. Interactive Videos
Create and send out short, entertaining training videos that allow employees to see real life examples of cybersecurity scenarios. This can help employees understand and visualize the impact of their actions on cybersecurity. AwareGO provides curated bite-sized cybersecurity awareness videos to help employees stay engaged with their training.
2. Cybersecurity Simulations
Create a simulated environment where employees can practice handling cybersecurity threats, such as phishing attacks or malware infections. This can be done through AwareGO’s Human Risk Assessment, which uses real life scenarios in a safe, blame-free environment to test employees on cybersecurity practices.
3. Reward System
Offer rewards for completing cybersecurity training modules or for demonstrating good security practices. Rewards can include badges, certificates, or even prizes. Every employee that completes the AwareGO cybersecurity awareness training receives a certificate of completion.
4. Scavenger Hunts
Develop a scavenger hunt that requires employees to find and solve cybersecurity challenges within the workplace. This can encourage collaboration and problem-solving skills.
5. Cybersecurity Trivia
Host a cybersecurity trivia game to test employees’ knowledge of security practices and policies. This can be done through online quizzes or in-person competitions. There are short quizzes embedded throughout AwareGO’s cybersecurity training modules to keep employees engaged with the content.
6. Role-Playing Exercises
Create role-playing exercises that simulate real-world cybersecurity scenarios. This can help employees understand the importance of security policies and how to react in different situations.
7. Leaderboards
Establish a leaderboard to track progress and encourage healthy competition among employees or departments. This can motivate employees to complete cybersecurity training and improve their security practices. AwareGO uses dashboards for cybersecurity training administrators that track progress, completion, and success of every individual and department or team.
Best Practices for Gamified Cybersecurity Training
Games and competition can be a fun way to encourage training and increase retention, but there are still a few things to keep in mind when planning.
Tailor the training to your audience: Consider the age, experience, and skill level of your employees when designing cybersecurity training games. A game that works well for a team of tech-savvy developers might not be as effective for a group of non-technical administrative staff. A great way to establish a baseline for skill-level among employees is to use AwareGO’s Human Risk Assessment.
Keep it relevant: Make sure the training games focus on real-world cybersecurity risks that your business faces. Employees are more likely to engage with training that they feel is relevant to their work. With AwareGO’s cybersecurity training program, you can tailor training content to specific company departments based on known threat areas from their Human Risk Assessment.
Mix it up: Use a variety of different types of games and activities to keep employees engaged. For example, you might use interactive videos one week and a trivia game the next. AwareGO uses interactive videos throughout the cybersecurity training that allows users to choose their own path.
Make it accessible: Ensure that the games and training materials are accessible to all employees. AwareGO’s training program allows you to schedule lessons over weeks, and send notifications and training modules via mail, Slack or Teams. AwareGO’s training is designed with mobile devices in mind, so users can complete training on the Slack or Teams applications on their smartphones during a public commute.
Test the effectiveness: Regularly test the effectiveness of the training through quizzes or assessments. This will help you measure the impact of the training on employee behavior and identify areas that still need improvement.
Using gamified cybersecurity training can be an effective way to engage employees and improve their security practices. By tailoring the training to your audience, keeping it relevant and accessible, and mixing up the activities, businesses can make cybersecurity training fun and engaging.
It’s important to remember that gamified cyber security training is just one part of a comprehensive cybersecurity program, and that training should be integrated with other security practices to be effective. AwareGO offers human risk management solutions and high-quality, short training videos to maximize the impact of security awareness campaigns. By incorporating engaging video training content, businesses can help employees retain knowledge and decrease human risk factor.