Serious gaming is an effective and interactive method to strengthen awareness, knowledge and skills in information security and privacy protection. Through realistic scenarios and hands-on challenges, it allows participants to learn to deal with cyber threats, data breaches and compliance issues in a safe and controlled manner.
Using serious games stimulates critical thinking, cooperation and decision-making under pressure, making employees better prepared for incidents and high-risk situations. In addition, the game format increases engagement and retention of knowledge compared to traditional training methods.
Serious gaming contributes to a strong security culture within organisations and helps turn abstract regulations and best practices into practically applicable skills. This leads to improved compliance with laws and regulations, higher awareness of cyber risks and better protection of sensitive information.
Own creative games
De Winter Information Solutions develops customised serious games that provide insight into complex issues around information security and privacy protection in a creative and interactive way. Our games can be both guided by experts for an in-depth learning experience and used independently for reuse within organisations. With realistic scenarios, practical cases and a strong focus on engagement, we ensure that participants not only learn, but also actively participate and act in a safe game environment. Totally appropriate in your environment.
Operation Checkmate: a unique dive into a cybercrime case
Operation Checkmate was an intensive serious game in which participants took on the role of detectives and went through a criminal investigation from start to finish. This three-day experience brought together all aspects of investigation and law enforcement: from case analysis and interrogation techniques to searches, digital forensics and building a watertight criminal case file. Participants were challenged to combine technical and tactical skills with legal and ethical considerations, while working with realistic scenarios and unexpected twists.
Developed in collaboration with forensic investigators, pen testers and criminal justice professionals, this game offered an unprecedentedly realistic look at the complex work of detectives. The game ended in a criminal case where a prosecutor, a judge and police professionals assessed the case.
VNG Crisis Game
At De Winter Information Solutions, we believe that real change starts with experience. That is why we developed a crisis game for the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) that interactively confronts administrators and public order and safety (OOV) staff with the impact of a digital crisis.
In this simulation, the fictional municipality of Wet Lakes is hit again, this time by a hack involving ‘fake news’ posted on the municipal website. What starts as a technical incident grows into an administrative crisis that undermines residents’ trust and disrupts services. The game lets participants experience how digital disruptions not only affect the IT infrastructure, but also the functioning of the municipality and the safety of society.
This crisis game builds on the earlier IBD Crisis Game, responding to the challenges facing governments today. We designed the simulation with an eye for realism: existing structures, lines of accountability and crisis models come to life, giving participants an immediate understanding of their role and responsibilities in the event of a digital threat.
What makes this game special is that it does not only address the IT organisation, but instead focuses on the cooperation between governance, security and crisis management. In this way, we ensure that administrative and operational layers within an organisation are better prepared for digital disruption.
With this crisis game, we show how serious gaming is a powerful tool to make complex issues understandable and help organisations increase their resilience. Watch the trailer:
This game builds on a game we previously made for the Centre for Information Security and Privacy Protection (CIP) and in adapted form for the Information Security Service for Municipalities (IBD):
Are you curious about how a tailor-made serious game can help your organisation with strategic issues, crisis management or security awareness? We would be happy to think along with you.