Author: Melanie Knieps


  • We Hacked the Hacker

    We Hacked the Hacker

    Think cybersecurity is dull? Think again! Members and partners from CYREN ZH, including ETH Zürich, University of Zurich, and ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, played the Escape Room at Switch. We hacked the hacker!!! Not only was it super fun, but it also vividly highlighted the importance of using lengthy passwords and passphrases. Thank you Fabio Greiner for playing with us. Looking…

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  • Parldigi-Masterclass

    Parldigi-Masterclass

    The number of cyberattacks has risen sharply in recent years and poses major challenges for government institutions, companies, and the general public. The topic of cyber security is therefore becoming increasingly important. In this context, restrictive measures are often imposed on people. CYRENZH co-lead Dr. Melanie Knieps from the Digital Society Initiative (DSI) at the University…

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  • Cybersecurity Clinic

    Cybersecurity Clinic

    Cybersecurity experts are lacking in number and diversity of skills. The “Cybersecurity Clinic” concept, first conceptualized by the Cybersecurity Consortium at Berkeley and financially supported by Google, tries to tackle this issue by engaging students from various backgrounds. Under the supervision of competent facilitators – experts from academia and the industry – the cyberclinic seeks…

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  • Ethical Hacking – GObugfree 2023

    Ethical Hacking – GObugfree 2023

    Ethical hackers play a crucial role in preventing the theft and misuse of data by malicious attackers who often exploit vulnerabilities within an organization. These vulnerabilities can either be pre-existing or may have emerged over time. Bug Bounty Programs act as intermediaries between ethical hackers and organizations seeking external assistance. They delineate the scope of…

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  • To Play Or Not To Play

    To Play Or Not To Play

    Play is an essential human experience or, as Schiller put it, Because, to put it bluntly, man only plays when he is fully human, and he is only fully human when he plays. Source: Schiller, F., Theoretische Schriften. Über die ästhetische Erziehung des Menschen in einer Reihe von Briefen, 1793-1794. Fünfzehnter Brief Games have great…

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  • Leveraging Games for Education – Perspectives from Cybersecurity and Sustainability

    Leveraging Games for Education – Perspectives from Cybersecurity and Sustainability

    Last week, I had the privilege to speak at the #SecurityAwarenessDay, where I had the opportunity to learn from outstanding speakers and interact with enthusiastic attendees. One key insight that emerged was the challenge of actively involving people in learning about cybersecurity, which requires “capturing their attention”. A new approach to learning – the use of games – was addressed…

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  • How to get to an organization that nurtures resilience

    How to get to an organization that nurtures resilience

    CYRENZH and DSI Cybersecurity Community launched their event series with Karen Renaud’s (University of Strathclyde) keynote on human-centered cybersecurity. In her keynote, Karen provided a comprehensive account of her extensive research and encouraged us to challenge outdated assumptions about the role of people in cybersecurity. Rather than relying on strict regulations and productivity-oriented rewards to promote…

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