Development of a Training Game to Provide Awareness in Cybersecurity to the Staff of the Aviation Military School "Marco Fidel Suárez" of the Colombian Air Force in the city of Cali.

Abstract

This article presents the results of a final research work from the Systems Engineering program at Emavi. This work aims at three objectives: first, to develop a program by applying better practices by last year students at the program; second, to use ICT for teaching cybersecurity; third, applying a motivational teaching strategy related to cybersecurity (gamification): a serious game as a program developed for sensitizing the staff from Escuela Militar de Aviación Marco Fidel Suárez – Fuerza Aérea  Colombiana in Cali (Colombia).
In order to develop the game, different web programming languages were used (HTML5, JavaScript, CSS, and PHP), to which a mysql database was integrated to make the game interactive.
The game was designed to educate different users. It is divided into several interfaces: first, the game presentation, in which the system requests a username and a password; second, an interface in which information security is explained, which helps the user build knowledge from the learning virtual object. The third interface is a game in a Who wants to be a millionaire format, which will evaluate what was learned by using random questions that will display a grade when answered. The final interface shows the user’s score.
In the short term, the degree of knowledge in cybersecurity of Emavi’s staff will be evaluated to know if it is possible to perform a medium term pilot plan to apply such an strategy to CACOM 7, taking into account the results displayed in the first stage of interaction.
The application was uploaded to the institution’s virtual platform, which helped 60 % of the staff use it and know both their advances in cybersecurity knowledge and tips to minimize risks in information security when using technology.