In recent years, gamification has seen a rise in usage for cyber-security training, with some of the most used elements being story and narrative. Yet there seems to be a lack of research on story-based gamification as well as how this type of gamification affects a training's effectiveness. The goal of this study was to test the effectiveness of…

The availability of powerful head-mounted displays (HMDs) has made virtual reality (VR) a mainstream technology and spearheaded the idea of immersive virtual experiences within the Metaverse -- a shared and persistent virtual world. Companies are eagerly investing in various VR products and services, aiming to be early adopters and create new…

Hardware security is one of the most researched areas in the field of security. It focuses on discovering and understanding attacks and countermeasures for electronic hardware that provides the "root-of-trust" for modern computing systems upon which the software stack is built. The increasing reliance on electronic devices in our…

In this article, the author relates how he discovered that not all Wi-Fi networks are secure. As such, he developed several strategies on how he can be secured whenever he connects to the Internet through a Wi-Fi connection. He discusses how one can change passwords, explains the process of encryption, and provides suggestions on other security…

According to the National Safety Council, 63 million computers became obsolete in 2005 alone, and it is estimated that the total number in storage in 2007 numbers upwards of 500 million computers (Earth 911, 2007). This article describes the steps that one should take before disposing of an obsolete computer. First and foremost, all personal…

Information technology (IT) departments are ruled by a kind of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: The big-tech stuff--the operating systems, the networks, the data centers--gets the priority, food-and-shelter attention, while upgrading the backup power supplies, evaluating new projector mounts, and taming that rat's nest of classroom cords fall…

This article features an assistant professor of technology who shares his story of near disaster and offers advice for others about protecting their data. The author presents steps that can be taken to prevent unexpected events from destroying data. The author strongly recommends using backup files as a way of securing computer files and data.…

A computer virus is a program--a piece of executable code--that has the unique ability to replicate. Like biological viruses, computer viruses can spread quickly and are often difficult to eradicate. They can attach themselves to just about any type of file, and are spread by replicating and being sent from one individual to another. Simply having…