Aprendendo a proteger-se: utilizando softwares educacionais para ensinar segurança virtual

Abstract

The increasing integration and use of the Internet in society’s daily life have made virtual security a fundamental concern for users, with protection against cyber threats becoming essential for both individuals and organizations. This paper proposes a learning model that uses gamification to address the topic of information security to high school students. Through an educational software developed for all schools, the objective is to promote students' learning about information security in order to prevent potential data breaches and invasions. In this context, educational software and applications play a crucial role in raising awareness and empowering individuals to handle the challenges of virtual security. Using the development of educational software, which includes stages of design, pre-production, prototyping, and validation, the application features interactive quizzes with real-life information security situations, offering immediate feedback to promote dynamic learning and raise students' awareness about cyber risks. This work aims to teach high school students the importance of information security, how to avoid potential scams, and employs gamification to learn through real-life scenarios with decision-making options, explaining their choices and reinforcing or guiding them towards better approaches.