Gamification in cybersecurity: why could it prove to be a significant advantage in corporate training?

Cybersecurity has become one of the biggest concerns for companies in the digital world. With increasingly sophisticated and frequent cyberattacks, protecting corporate infrastructures and data requires a proactive approach, with particular emphasis on training employees to enhance security. After all, most cyberattacks start with someone getting scammed.

This is why companies need to come up with innovative strategies to engage employees and keep them aware of cyber risks over time. One approach that can help you on this journey is gamification—which uses gaming elements to make learning about cybersecurity processes more engaging and effective.

This article will demonstrate how gamification in cybersecurity can be a powerful asset to corporate training, through factual data and examples of its advantages and efficiency.

How does gamification help people learn?

Gamification is the application of elements that are commonly found in games—such as scores, rewards, and competitions—into non-game related contexts. The goal is to boost engagement and motivation among participants when they encounter specific scenarios, which in turn aids in stimulating creativity and enhancing knowledge retention.

According to the "Game Based Learning Global Market Report 2025", this market is expected to jump from US$17.07 billion in 2024 to US$20.84 billion in 2025. This growth is credited to shifts in educational paradigms, which now demand interactive and engaging learning tools and a focus on both personalized learning and continuous assessment.

The Harvard Business Review points out that this type of activity can increase engagement because its mechanics activate three key elements of our motivational system:

• Autonomy: Games provide people with the freedom to make choices, potentiating the desire to direct one’s own life.

• Feeling of accomplishment and ability: Games provide us with an opportunity to experience personal growth and mastery, reinforcing the desire to be better and overcome our challenges.

• Connection: Games allow you to work together and build a community around a shared interest.

What is the role that gamification plays in improving cybersecurity within companies?

A World Economic Forum report found that in 2024, 42% of the organizations surveyed had experienced a successful phishing or social engineering attack. 

So, investing in activities such as gamification can help improve employees' knowledge about cybersecurity.

Through taking part in a game that touches on the key aspects of cybersecurity, explaining why it is important for the company and the world as a whole, employees can continually practice their skills in a safe and controlled environment.

Best of all, gamification provides immediate feedback, which is crucial for allowing the employee to learn and correct their behavior quickly and efficiently. This type of interaction helps employees better understand security concepts and apply the best practices in their daily work activities.

What are the benefits of gamification in terms of cybersecurity?

Many systems security issues arise due to human error, and for companies to truly be protected, it's very important that employees are well trained and informed.

It helps if they're interested in the topic, and gamification has proven to be an efficient strategy to capture your team's attention when it comes to cybersecurity. Some of the most significant benefits of this methodology include:

Increased engagement

One of the key challenges facing managers of cybersecurity awareness programs is ensuring that employees remain continuously involved.

Gamification offers an effective solution to this challenge because it transforms cybersecurity training into interactive and engaging experiences. In addition to encouraging employees to be actively involved, implementing internal competitions with rewards can motivate employees to adopt safe practices in terms of emails and passwords.

Development of practical skills

Through simulations and games, employees can deal with real cybersecurity threats within a controlled environment. This helps them to develop practical skills that can be used to identify and effectively respond to attacks, such as phishing.

Activities usually involve problem solving, simulating situations and other challenges that mitigate security incidents and reinforce good behaviors. Together, these elements strengthen the company's protection against cybersecurity threats.

Awareness and a security culture

Cybersecurity is a concern requiring ongoing reinforcement. Gamification helps foster a security culture that makes employees more aware of cybersecurity threats and the best practices for alleviating them over time.

For example, breaking down a program into seasons ensures employees regularly engage with security content, keeping the topic relevant and up-to-date. By rewarding safe working practices, this behavior is reinforced, creating an environment where information security is valued by all.

Accessibility for all profiles

Gamification is not an exclusive tool for a specific group. It is accessible and effective for employees of various ages and profiles. By adapting the elements of the game to the characteristics of the target audience, everyone from interns to senior executives can be involved.

Even for individuals who may not be all that familiar with advanced technologies, games can be introduced in a simple and interactive way that will engage all employees in the learning process.

How is gamification implemented?

Use the following steps to effectively incorporate gamification into cybersecurity training:

Identify goals

Clearly define what is to be taken out of the training, keeping in mind some of the key human risks found in your company.

Develop relevant content

Create scenarios and challenges that reflect real situations employees face on a daily basis.

Use suitable platforms

Adopt gamification platforms that allow interactive games and simulations to be created, along with feedback and performance monitoring features.

Offer rewards on a regular basis

Introduce a regular rewards system that recognizes and values employees who adopt safe behaviors, encouraging continuous participation.

Gamification can be an effective strategy for engaging employees of different backgrounds and ages in cybersecurity training programs. By turning learning into an interactive and rewarding experience, companies can bolster their security culture and significantly reduce the risks of cyber incidents.

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