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Hacknet, Serious Game, Cyberscurity Education

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Hacknet: A Serious Game for Cybersecurity Education

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Hacknet: A Serious Game for Cybersecurity Education

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Katsantonis, M. and Mavridis, I., 2021. Evaluation of HackLearn COFELET Game User Experience for Cybersecurity Education. International Journal of Serious Games, 8(3), pp.3-24. doi: 10.17083/ijsg.v8i3.437.

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Elsevier Ltd. (2021) ‘Critical national infrastructure is being threatened by nation-state attackers’, Network security, 2021(8), pp. 1–2. doi: 10.1016/S1353-4858(21)00081-7.

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Hacknet is a modern, super immersive terminal-driven hacking game with a fully internally-consistent network simulation and an interface so real you shouldn't play it in an airport.
It follows the story of recently deceased hacker "Bit", whose death may not be the 'accident' the media reports.

You stand in for no one, as most games have you do - play for yourself, make your own decisions, and see the world react - if you're leaving a trace that is.
Hacknet has no protagonist, other than the person using it. Don't be reckless though - it's more real than you think.

Hacknet's expansion, Labyrinths is now avaliable.
Education versions are avaliable on Itch.io

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Hacknet is a modern, super immersive terminal-driven hacking game with a fully internally-consistent network simulation and an interface so real you shouldn't play it in an airport. It follows the story of recently deceased hacker "Bit", whose death may not be the 'accident' the media reports.

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What are serious games?

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Serious games are games that have another purpose besides entertainment. But what are serious games exactly? They are used to promote learning and behavior change. Serious gaming is used in various areas such as education, healthcare, marketing and other businesses and industries. The power of serious games is that they are entertaining, engaging and immersive. Serious games combine learning strategies, knowledge and structures, and game elements to teach specific skills, knowledge and attitudes. They are designed to solve problems in several areas and involve challenges and rewards, using the entertainment and engagement components provided when the user is playing games.
Where are serious games used

Serious games are used in a lot of different areas since they can be applied to a broad range of problems and challenges. A few areas where we see serious games more than in other areas are:

Education: Games are used to teach specific subjects through gamified exercises and simulations. This way, students can learn math or learn a new language for example. This is one of the most well-known applications of serious games, also known as educational games.

Healthcare: Games are also used in rehabilitation by translating exercises to actions in the game. Another use in healthcare is to train medical procedures in a simulated environment.

Sustainability projects: make people engaged for sustainability project or change their behaviour.

Training and consultancy: More and more consultancy agencies use serious games to explain and train teamwork and social and logistic dynamics within businesses.

These are just a few areas where serious games are used. Additionally, they are also used in the military for training purpose, in marketing to acquire and retain customers, by governments to create social awareness and for several research purposes. We are just starting to discover the potential of games with a purpose. In another article, we'll take a deep dive into the five types of serious games.

What are the advantages of serious games?

So why are more and more companies using games for a serious goal? What's wrong with a good old book or e-learning module? There's nothing wrong with the old methods, but games give us a new tool to transfer information and knowledge. And it is effective as a tool because of the following reasons:

1. Higher engagement and immersion: Because of the way how games are designed, they always motivate the player to keep on playing by using rewards, story progression or other feedback systems. Add a beautiful environment to this for complete immersion in the subject matter.

2. A safe space to experiment: In the real world your actions have consequences, sometimes this can lead to damaged material or hurt feelings. Games create a safe, virtual environment where players can experiment to their hearts extend without having to worry about damage.

3. Positive emotions improve learning: It's fun! Studies have shown that students who use games to learn, experience more positive emotions. This leads to an improved learning experience when compared to traditional and video learning methods.

How do serious games work?

So how does it work? Why are people more engaged when they are playing a game? And how does this improve learning? Below are four core elements that you can find in most games. These elements contribute to both the entertainment value and the effectiveness of its serious purpose.

Interactivity: gameplay

At the core of all games is the 'gameplay'. This can be described as the decisions and actions a player has to take to overcome challenges. For example in 'Mario', the player has to learn how to control Mario to jump over tortoises and gaps to reach the end of the level. The interactive element of games is what makes it fun.

Contrary to books, films or other one-way learning experiences, in games the player can actually interact with the subject matter. This allows them to experiment and play with different outcomes of their actions. This is the very nature of how humans learn. Kids learn by interacting and experimenting with the objects around them, sometimes resulting in an injury from a hot stove or bruises from falling down the stairs. Games allow players to experiment with real life situations without the dangers, consequences or material damage of the real world.

The metaphor: story and setting

Explaining divisions is always more fun when it involves pie or pizza. A metaphor can help visualize complex subjects. Games are also using metaphors to give purpose to their gameplay. A context for the actions and decisions a player has to take. The story and setting of a game are also very powerful tools to create an immersive experience for the player. Players are more involved with the characters in a game and what happens to them when they care for them. Usually, there's also a vast and beautiful world to explore. This appeals to our basic motivation to explore and gain new experiences.

So besides using metaphors to explain complex subjects, the story and setting of a game greatly increase engagement, immersion and retention of players.

Progression and feedback: challenges and rewards

An important aspect of learning is that the posed challenge matches the current skill level of the student. If an 8 year old has to learn advanced mathematics, they will not have the required knowledge to do so and lose motivation very quickly. Games use a lot of different progression systems to be able to engage and retain players from all skill levels. Most games have a difficulty setting for example. Some games even adapt the difficulty automatically to the player.

Besides matching the challenge with the skill level, games are also very rewarding. When a player conquers a certain challenge, this triggers a release of endorphins which makes the player feel better about themselves. Players will want to keep on playing to keep the endorphins flowing. Did you ever get an endorphin rush from learning the Pythagoras theorem?

Social aspect: multiplayer

Learning in groups is more effective than learning alone (reference). Multiplayer games are games that you play with other people, online or on the couch next to each other. Being able to play or compete with other players is one of the motivations for people to play and continue playing games. The interaction creates unpredictable situations which in turn can create interesting challenges or funny situations. Being able to compete or cooperate with other players, improves both learning and engagement.

Serious games examples

Serious games have been applied to several areas with a very successful outcome. Here are some interesting cases that show the working and effectiveness of serious gaming:

Sea Hero Quest - A game that uses a game to collect data to detect dementia at an early stage. The data that would normally take 176 centuries to collect, was collected in a few months through this game.

Assassin's Creed: Origins Discovery Tour - Although the title suggests otherwise, this special game mode of an existing entertainment game, focuses completely on exploring ancient Egypt. It is a virtual museum. Unique to this example is that it is an addition to an entertainment title, making it accessible for a very large audience.

Underground (disclaimer: we developed this game) - One of the first publicly available games which trains surgical procedures with a custom made game controller. This controller simulates the movement of expensive hardware, making it an affordable and effective training tool.

These are just a few examples of serious games. What defines these examples is that they all have a very strong entertaining component as well as a serious purpose. The more entertaining a serious game is, the more effective it is as a solution to train, teach or in any other way reach its goal. More examples here!

Learn more about serious games

Now that you have a basic understanding of what serious games are and what they can be used for, you might be interested in more information on the subject. There has been a lot of research on using games for a purpose other than entertainment. You can check out the search results in google scholar.

We also wrote an article with an overview of interesting serious game research!

Closely related to serious games are gamification, game based learning, applied games and a range of other terms to describe similar practices. If you want to know the differences between all these terms, read our article on ' serious games terminology'. If you want to know more about gamification in particular, read our article on ' Gamification '

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Serious games are games that have another purpose besides entertainment. But what are serious games exactly? They are used to promote learning and behavior change. Serious gaming is used in various areas such as education, healthcare, marketing and other businesses and industries. The power of serious games is that they are entertaining, engaging and immersive.

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What Education Do You Need To Be A Cyber Security Specialist?

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The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the information technology security sector will grow by 31% by the end of 2029 - "much faster than average," according to their findings. Cybersecurity specialists are few and far between, and there are plenty of job openings if you wish to become an IT security expert. However, before you do, you might first want to know what education you need to be a Cyber Security Specialist.

It is a well-established belief that, in the IT industry, a college degree doesn't count for much; what matters is what skills you possess, what projects you've worked on, and how prepared you are to continue learning and improving yourself.

And while this belief is accurate up to an extent, it doesn't paint the whole picture when it comes to education in cybersecurity. Let's find out what set of skills you need, whether a college degree is a must, and what certifications will help you kick off your information security career.

Cyber Security Skills

Regardless of what position you're after - a security engineer, security analyst, computer forensic expert, chief information security officer, or other - all cybersecurity roles require a particular set of skills. These skills are typically divided into hard and soft.

Some hard skills that are required are:

Fundamentals of computer sciences

Knowledge of at least one programming language (Java, C#, C++, PHP)

Familiarity with the Mitre Att&ck framework

Ability to perform penetration tests and vulnerability assessments

SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) knowledge

Knowledge of Cisco hardware and software (for networking security)

Threat modeling, ethical hacking, best coding practices

In-depth knowledge of UNIX, Linux, and Windows operating systems, and more

Some cybersecurity professionals work by themselves, but more often than not, they are a part of an IT security team in an organization. This requires communication and active listening skills to be able to work within a team.

Additionally, security specialists often work under tremendous pressure. If a cyberattack, infiltration, or breach is detected, no matter the time of day or week, they need to be present to deflect it, find the perpetrators, and perform damage control. Critical thinking and clear reasoning in high-stress situations are a must-have for someone holding this job position.

With all that being said, here are the soft skills required of an information security specialist:

Active listening and clear communication skills

Creative and technical problem solving

Critical thinking

Ability to make split-second decisions in emergencies

Great attention to detail

Adaptability to any work team and environment

When you're building your resume, don't forget to include what soft skills you excel at since they might propel you to the top spot in the hiring process.

What Degree for Cyber Security?

The question of whether or not you require a cybersecurity degree is a complex one.

On the one hand, just like in any other IT branch, it is possible to land your first security specialist job without a college degree of any kind. All you will need is a set of relevant IT security certifications, perhaps some practical experience, and you've got the job.

However, whether you will advance to higher positions is a different matter. It mainly depends on the company's policy and career development strategy.

In cybersecurity, knowledge is a big concern. In the case of a standard software or web developer, not much is at stake if they make a mistake; you may need to push back a deadline, a client might become unhappy, but nothing more than that. However, when your main task is to develop and implement security systems, an error might lead to severe data loss and potentially even financial ruin.

To minimize the chances of this happening, most companies set up strict education requirements and are looking to hire applicants with bachelor degrees. For higher positions, a master's degree is preferred. It doesn't necessarily have to be a degree in cybersecurity - a related field will work as well, such as computer engineering, computer programming, computer and information sciences, and others.

It is also not too relevant whether applicants are coming in with standard degrees or online degrees - most organizations want to guarantee your knowledge in the form of a diploma, no matter its source.

Certifications

Whether or not you hold a degree in cybersecurity or a similar field, having one or several certifications under your belt is a huge bonus. This demonstrates to your potential employers that you have the education you need to be a cyber security specialist and that you're actively working on expanding your knowledge base, improving your skills and that you have no problems keeping up with new technologies.

One of the defining characteristics any computer security specialist should have is to stay up to date with what's up and coming. In a world as fast-paced as computer security, if you're not careful, it could only be a matter of months before your current level of expertise becomes obsolete.

Professional certifications or certs will provide you with a good knowledge base and perhaps even some practical experience before deciding to step into information system security. Here are examples of some of the most prevalent cybersecurity certifications:

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA, Routing, and Switching)

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

CompTIA Security+ Base-Level Certification

Systems Administration and Network Security Certifications (SANS)

It stands to reason that you're not obligated to obtain all of these certifications. It all depends on what area of IT security sparks your interest. Ethical hackers (also known as penetration testers) can clearly benefit from EC-Council's ethical hacker certification; security consultants can choose between SANS, CISM, and CISSP certs; security architects will need certifications on an even higher level.

Choose your certificate program based on what type of work you'd like to do, how much time you have at your disposal, and the size of your budget. If you're working a full-time job while getting certified, you likely won't have the energy to go through more than one program at a time, so keep that in mind.

Experience

Before you start crafting your resume, it is a good idea to look beyond just the education you need to be a cyber security specialist, and consider gaining some experience first.

This could refer to experience in a related occupation, such as a network administrator or a systems administrator. For example, if you are searching for a job in database security, you could benefit from database administration experience. For system security, a former computer systems analyst might be the perfect candidate.

However, if you can obtain experience directly in IT security, that would be perfect.

Look for internship opportunities in companies for which you'd like to work. Working a full-time job for no money isn't ideal, but if you use your internship well, it will only be a matter of time before you are hired as a regular employee. Learn from your coworkers and managers and absorb anything they want to teach you. Be curious, ask questions, and offer insights to demonstrate how well you understand the subject matter and how you can think outside the box.

With a little bit of practical experience to spice up your resume, you won't have any trouble finding the security specialist job you're aiming for.

Bottom Line

While it is true that a college degree isn't necessary for most IT job titles, it proves to be extremely relevant for someone looking for an IT security position. Some companies might be satisfied with associate's degrees, but bachelor's degrees are usually preferred.

If you already hold a degree in an IT branch not connected to cybersecurity, you likely won't need to get an additional degree. However, it would be best to supplement your education and experience through various IT security certifications to become a cyber security specialist. These can be geared towards ethical hackers, security software developers, security architects, analysts, or any other computer security job title. Choose the right set of certifications based on where you see yourself further down your career path.

Lastly, don't neglect the importance of practical experience. Look for entry-level jobs that might not be what you want right now, but that will be your first step towards building your cybersecurity career. Internships are also a good option - they will offer you a chance to learn from more experienced specialists and may lead to permanent employment later on.

If you'd like an evaluation of your skills and advice on what type of education and certifications you should go for, take a look at MyComputerCareer's free career evaluation. Once you understand what's required of you to land your first cybersecurity job, you will know what steps to take to get there!

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What Education Do You Need To Be A Cyber Security Specialist?

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The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the information technology security sector will grow by 31% by the end of 2029 - "much faster than average," according to their findings. Cybersecurity specialists are few and far between, and there are plenty of job openings if you wish to become an IT security expert.