Municipality of Hardenberg

The challenge

Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility that everyone must be aware of, yet the topic doesn’t always resonate equally across all municipal departments. We were looking for an approach that wouldn’t just inform employees but truly engage them in understanding digital threats. Traditional presentations and checklists don’t create the kind of deep understanding we needed. We wanted colleagues to experience firsthand how easily you can fall into traps by playing the role of the attacker themselves.

The experience

From personalized phishing emails to exploring the dark web, colleagues dove enthusiastically into the game. Everything took place within a recognizable setting: our own municipality, thanks to complete personalization. That made it extra tangible and relevant to daily work. Teams played intensely, collaborated strategically, and competed for high scores.

The engagement was remarkable. One colleague even achieved 960 out of 1000 points, naturally earning a prize for that achievement. The reactions were enthusiastic across the board: educational, fun, and surprisingly confronting. Seeing their own municipality as the target made employees realize just how vulnerable even familiar systems can be. The game sparked immediate discussions about real scenarios colleagues had encountered and near misses they had experienced in their actual work.

The outcome

Phantom’s Game delivered more than just knowledge. It created conversation, insight, and action throughout the organization. Employees gained concrete examples of risks and clearly understood their own role in keeping our municipality secure. The playful approach resonated deeply and directly contributed to greater cybersecurity awareness across all departments. Colleagues now approach digital interactions with healthy vigilance, recognizing that protecting our municipality starts with individual awareness and collective responsibility.