The shield and the sword: Expanding learning in cyber defense through competition

The cyber chess game between offense (i.e., attackers or hackers) and defense (i.e., system administrators) is ongoing and dynamic. As the complexity of cyber-infrastructure increases, the complexity and creativity of cyberthreats also increases. This research employs the lens of activity theory to study the interaction between the cyber attackers and the defenders. A pedagogical learning-based conflict was introduced in a cybersecurity classroom, and cyber defense exercises were simulated in the cyber security virtual lab at Florida State University in Spring 2017. Natural language process (NLP) techniques were adopted for data analysis, which affirms the effectiveness of students' learning about securing networks through the introduction of simulated conflict