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Effectiveness of anti-phishing awareness game (anti-phishing AG) in raising phishing awareness among middle and high school students in Saudi Arabia

computer-education
security-and-privacy

Abstract

As the digital landscape evolves, cyberattacks—particularly phishing—have become increasingly sophisticated. Among these threats, phishing attacks, categorized as social engineering techniques, aim to deceive victims into revealing sensitive information. To effectively combat phishing, students must be well-informed about these attacks, their tactics, and how they operate. A game-based learning approach presents an engaging and effective way to enhance students' awareness of phishing attacks. Phishing attacks exploit psychological manipulation to steal sensitive data. This study evaluates a 3D web-based Anti-Phishing Awareness Game (Anti-Phishing AG), which was developed using Unreal Engine. The game is designed for Arabic-speaking middle/high school students in Saudi Arabia. Using a pre-test/post-test design with 702 participants, we measured awareness of URL, SMS, and call phishing. Results showed significant improvements (p < 0.001), with correct answers to phishing scenarios rising from 64% to 70%. Interactive scenarios of Anti-Phishing AG outperformed traditional methods, particularly in SMS phishing detection (83% post-test). This work bridges a critical gap in localized cybersecurity education and supports Saudi Vision 2030’s digital resilience goals.
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