Inspiration Traditional phishing training is often dull and ineffective. We wanted to create an engaging, interactive way for users to learn how to identify phishing threats through hands-on experience. By turning security awareness into a game, we make learning fun, memorable, and practical.
What it does Phish the Bait is a gamified phishing awareness platform where players complete missions that simulate real-world phishing attacks. Each mission presents different use case scenarios, challenging users to identify red flags, make quick decisions, and improve their threat detection skills. With a leaderboard, scoring system, and timer, users stay motivated while reinforcing cybersecurity best practices.
How We Built It Developed the frontend using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, ensuring a smooth and interactive user experience. Used Django (Python) for the backend, handling user authentication, scoring, and phishing scenario logic. Implemented Node.js for real-time interactions, such as the leaderboard and timer functionality. Designed interactive phishing challenges, including match-the-signs and spot-the-difference mechanics.
Challenges we ran into Designing an engaging experience while keeping the training educational and realistic Creating scalable and dynamic phishing scenarios Ensuring smooth gameplay mechanics and scoring logic Accomplishments that we're proud of Developed an engaging, user-friendly phishing awareness game Created multiple phishing scenarios beyond simple “report or ignore” training Designed an interactive prototype with real-time feedback and scoring
What we learned Gamification can significantly improve cybersecurity awareness User interaction and feedback loops are key to effective training Designing realistic phishing scenarios requires a balance of challenge and accessibility
What's next for Phish the Bait Develop a fully functional app with advanced phishing techniques (e.g., vishing, smishing) Integrate analytics to track learning progress and engagement Test with real users to refine the gameplay and effectiveness
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