YOU’VE BEEN HACKED: A TECHNIQUE FOR RAISING CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS

Abstract

In today’s interconnected world, cyber security is a major concern affecting all corners of cyber space. This ranges from major corporations and governments having sensitive data compromised to casual home users encountering ransomware demanding payments to restore their system. While stories of cyber-attacks and commercials for anti-malware products are readily appear in mainstream media, few realize that the threat is right there at the router’s door. National initiatives such declaration of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, STOP.THINK.CONNECT, and GenCyber summer camps for school students are aimed at promoting cyber security as “everyone’s responsibility”. Yet these initiatives for the most part do not bring the threat into full focus. This paper presents a technique for school students and others to experience the ease to which malicious parties may access sensitive information and attack a system. The technique leverages young person’s interest in gaming, which in itself is a major surface of attack. The technique has been used as a session in cyber security camps and as a covert lecture in computer science courses. Results have been very positive.