March 4th 2025
The Digital Care Hub has launched the first-ever Cyber Game designed specifically for adult social care providers, offering a fun and engaging way to learn about cyber security and data protection.
Cyber threats are a growing concern in social care, with data breaches, phishing scams, and cyber attacks putting sensitive information and care services at risk. However, learning about cyber security can often feel overwhelming or complex. The Cyber Game changes that by making learning interactive, accessible, and enjoyable for care managers, care workers, and other staff members.
Why play the Cyber Game?
- It’s free – There is no cost to play, making it accessible to all social care providers.
- It’s fun and interactive – Learning about cyber security has never been this engaging!
- Designed for social care – The game is tailored specifically to the challenges faced by care providers.
- Play through multiple characters – Build up skills and knowledge by playing as different characters.
The game presents real-world scenarios relevant to adult social care settings, helping players identify and respond to cyber risks in a safe environment. Whether it’s spotting a phishing email or ensuring secure data sharing, players gain valuable skills that can protect their organisation from cyber threats.
Immersive learning through real-life scenarios and characters
The Cyber Game features a range of relatable characters and workplace situations, bringing cyber security challenges to life. Players can take on the role of a registered manager, a data protection lead or a care worker dealing with realistic cyber threats.
Each scenario is based on actual cyber incidents. The aim is to manage the crisis effectively. Players need to contain the damage, notify the right people and implement improvements to prevent future incidents. Just as in real life, the decisions they make will impact security, time and cost. It is all about balancing risks and impact. Move too quickly and they might overlook a key security issue. Move too slowly and they could cause unnecessary and expensive disruption.
Why gamify cyber security training?
Daniel O’Shaughnessy, from the Digital Care Hub, said:
“We created the Cyber Game because traditional cyber security training can sometimes feel dry or difficult to engage with. By turning it into a game, we make it more accessible, enjoyable, and memorable. Gamification encourages active participation, helps players retain information better, and provides instant feedback on decisions. This approach is especially valuable in social care, where staff are already juggling multiple responsibilities. The Cyber Game allows them to learn at their own pace in a way that feels rewarding and practical.”
Care staff who tested the game said were positive about the scenarios saying:
“These are good scenarios – typical and indicative of what may occur and give people an idea of what they need to be thinking about.”
Through interactive decision-making, players navigate challenges and see the impact of their choices, reinforcing key lessons in a way that traditional training cannot.
Play the game online at: www.digitalcarehub.co.uk/cyber-game
Watch our short video guide on how to play the game.
Notes to Editors
The Cyber Game was developed by Digital Care Hub as part of the Cyber Resilient Care programme. It was funded by the Department for Science Innovation and Technology and Innovate UK’s Cyber Local Fund. This is the first game on cyber security specifically created for adult social care staff.