A Multidimensional Cyber Defense Exercise: Emphasis on Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Aspects

Abstract

Hands-on and practical learning has been key to cybersecurity education and training success. Cyber Defense Exercises(CDX) are a common approach to training, testing, and verifying technical and soft skills. However, full-scale CDX implemen-tation is also an expensive training event. In order to advance such exercises to the next level, CDX organizers should fur-ther focus on educational, psychological, and cross-domain relationships. The paper discusses and proposes amultidimensional approach for CDX that balances cognitive, emotional, and social aspects critical for successful interdisciplin-ary learning. We share our experience incorporating knowledge from well-known psychology theories to CDX. We deriveand describe seven elementary ingredients if a CDX is to meet the interdisciplinary and critical thinking needs of defensivecyberspace operations.