[San Francisco, CA] - 20261104 - Gamifying IR with Malware & Monsters

Incident response isn't just about technical skill—it's about coordination, communication, and making decisions under pressure. Yet, most IR training isolates techniques or relies on uninspiring tabletop exercises that fail to capture the collaborative reality of real incidents.
Join us at Pacific Hackers Meetup for a hands-on workshop featuring Malware & Monsters, a free, game-based framework created by Klaus Agnoletti that transforms incident response training into an engaging, team-driven experience.
Blending tabletop role-playing (TTRPG) with creature-collection mechanics, participants will hunt and contain digital threats through narrative scenarios inspired by real-world malware families mapped to MITRE ATT&CK.

### What We'll Cover

• Translating Mechanics to IR: See how game design translates directly to threat evolution, defensive trade-offs, and escalation under failure.
• Specialized Role-Play: Experience real team collaboration by assuming roles like Detective, Protector, Tracker, or Communicator.
• Facilitation & Design: Learn scenario design, facilitation techniques, and live simulation skills so you can run memorable, effective training for your own organization.

### Who Should Attend?

This workshop is ideal for security professionals, training coordinators, IR team leads, and anyone frustrated with boring checkbox security training. It works best with a mix of technical experts, business-minded practitioners, and team leads!

### Prerequisites & What to Bring

• Prerequisites: None! Accessible to all skill levels.
• Helpful (but not required): IT/cybersecurity background, IR experience, tabletop gaming/D&D familiarity, or training facilitation experience.
• What you DO NOT need: Game design skills, acting experience, expert security knowledge, or prior Malware & Monsters experience.
• What to bring: Curiosity, a willingness to participate, and an optional laptop or tablet.

### About the Speaker

Klaus Agnoletti has been an all-round infosec professional since 2004 and a long-time active member of Copenhagen’s infosec community, where he co-founded BSides København in 2019. Currently working as a freelance storytelling cybersecurity advisor, Klaus specializes in security transformation, community-focused marketing, employer branding, and playing security games. He is also a neurodiversity advocate speaking about ADHD to educate and break down taboos in the industry.