Hacking Decisions, Not Just Systems

This presentation explores how technical cyber incidents can be turned into playable wargames without requiring a live technical environment. It introduces a practical development framework covering learning objectives, scenarios, teams and roles, game mechanics, boards, cards, tokens, artificial intelligence, data collection and after-action analysis.

The session also challenges both ends of the cyber exercise spectrum: scripted tabletop exercises where decisions have little impact, and highly technical exercises where the environment becomes the main opponent.

A cyber wargame should not simply ask whether the players can hack a system. It should reveal how they think, what they prioritise and what happens when their decisions collide with an adaptive adversary.

If player decisions do not change the game, it is not really a wargame. It is just theatre with incident cards.

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Pasi Hakkarainen

Pasi Hakkarainen is an AI Security Lead, working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and practical security operations. He develops AI-security practices and cyber exercises, with a particular interest in turning complex technical and operational problems into hands-on learning experiences.

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