MeetingMayhem: A Web-Based Educational Game Focused on Adversarial Thinking
Shan Huang, Geoffrey L. Herman, Marc Olano, Linda Oliva, Alan T. Sherman · 2025
MeetingMayhem is a web-based educational game focused on adversarial thinking in the context of network security. In particular, this game gently and non-technically introduces students without prior cybersecurity knowledge to the Dolev-Yao network intruder model. In MeetingMayhem, three students take on the roles of two agents and an adversary. Two agents need to agree on a time and location to exchange an essential asset. The agents communicate through a network controlled by the adversary without knowing the adversary's identity. The adversary can insert, block, or modify messages. Students can play different roles, try different strategies, interact with different players, and send different messages. MeetingMayhem is available as a Docker Image, with open-source code. MeetingMayhem provides an engaging and innovative way for novice students to learn about adversarial thinking and cryptography within 2 hours.