Frequently Asked Questions

KC7 is an interactive cybersecurity game where you become the investigator. Instead of reading about attacks in a boring textbook, you actually chase hackers across real logs—spotting clues, piecing things together, and telling the story of what went down. Think detective work, but with data.

Curious beginners who want to dip their toes into cybersecurity.

Students who'd rather play a mystery game than memorize flashcards.

Educators who want a plug-and-play classroom activity.

Professionals who want team bonding that doesn't involve awkward trust falls.

Basically, if you're curious and like solving puzzles, KC7 is for you.

Easy. Most people can play KC7 right now, for free, directly on kc7cyber.com. Just register and dive into a case.

If your school, camp, or company is running a private event, they'll give you a special link. Either way—you're in the game in minutes.

Nope. KC7 starts you from scratch. You don't need to be a hacker, a coder, or a computer genius. If you can read and click, you can play.

Yes. KC7 is about investigation, not writing code. You'll learn to think like a detective: asking questions, spotting patterns, and backing up your story with evidence.

Nope. Sorry, no hoodie-in-a-dark-room lessons here. KC7 is about defense, not offense. You'll learn how hackers think so you can catch them—not become one.

Not directly. KC7 isn't a test prep program. But here's the deal: when you read about "phishing" or "lateral movement" in a Security+ book, you'll actually remember it—because you've chased it in KC7. So no, it won't get you a cert on its own, but it'll make those study sessions actually stick.

Certs test what you know. KC7 tests what you can do. When an interviewer asks you how phishing works, you can either recite a definition—or you can say: "Let me tell you about the time I caught a phishing campaign in KC7…" Which one do you think lands better?

By playing KC7, you'll learn how to:

• Spot attacker tactics like phishing, malware, and credential theft.
• Use logs and data to prove what really happened.
• Tell a clear story about a cyber incident.
• Get hands-on with KQL (Kusto Query Language), the same tool real analysts use.

Basically: you'll stop guessing and start investigating like a pro.

Most cases take 1–2 hours. Some players binge and knock out multiple cases, others play in short bursts. It's up to you.

Yes. KC7 won't replace a certification, but it gives you something most learners don't have: practical experience. You'll finish with a portfolio of real intrusions you solved, and the confidence to talk through them in an interview. In fact, some players have landed analyst jobs because of KC7.

Most cyber training is memorize-and-forget. KC7 is practice-and-remember. Instead of definitions and slides, you're actually doing the work. And since every case is built like a story, it's fun, not soul-crushing.

That's normal—being stuck means you're investigating. You can:

• Bounce ideas off your teammates.
• Re-check the clues (the hackers love hiding in plain sight).
• Ask for a hint from your host or the KC7 community.

Remember: KC7 is about practice, not perfection. Getting stuck is part of the game.

Yes! KC7 was designed for classrooms. Teachers get access to a special tenant system where you can create classes, host private games, and track student progress. It's flexible enough for a one-day activity or a full unit.

Bonus: KC7 already aligns with cybersecurity education standards, so you don't have to invent lesson plans from scratch. You just plug it in and let students investigate.

Absolutely—you can run KC7 events yourself. There's nothing stopping you from using it for free (we'll never stand in the way of defenders getting better). Spin up a session, invite your team, and you've got a ready-made investigation exercise.

That said… if you can spare a dollar (or a few), it goes a long way in keeping KC7 alive. And if you're a mega-corporation swimming in billions—don't be stingy. Cybersecurity is better for everyone when you chip in.

👉 Donate here

If you want to use KC7 on a rolling basis for more than just a few employees, we've got extra features to make that smooth:

• A tenant system to manage games at scale
• Tracking and reporting so you can measure progress
• Tools for ongoing skill development

For that, reach out at events@kc7cyber.com and we'll get you set up.

Yes—some companies do (Microsoft, big SOCs, and anyone living in Azure land). But honestly, that's not the point. KC7 isn't about memorizing a specific tool—it's about building the habits of investigation:

• Asking good questions.
• Following attacker breadcrumbs.
• Turning messy data into a clear story.

If you can do that in KQL, you can do it in Splunk, Elastic, QRadar, or whatever tool your future job throws at you. The muscle memory transfers.

For players? Free.

But here's the thing: free for you doesn't mean free to run. KC7 is a nonprofit—servers, events, and building new cases all cost real money. So if you can donate, please do. Think of it like buying the dev team a pizza…except instead of pizza, you're helping thousands of new players learn cybersecurity.

If you're part of a large company, consider contributing to help us enhance cybersecurity for everyone. Your support can make a significant difference. 😊

👉 Donate here