Cyber Guardian

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  Cyber Guardian Logo

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  Cyber Guardian landing page with information about the app as a training site

Inspiration

Older adults are increasingly targeted by online scams, with losses averaging £4,000 per victim in the UK. Many feel anxious and unprepared to spot digital threats. We wanted to create a tool that empowers elderly users to confidently identify and avoid scams, turning digital safety into an accessible, positive experience.

What it does

Cyber Guardian is a gamified, mobile-first web app that teaches elderly users to spot phishing scams. Through interactive scenarios, users identify red flags in mock emails, earn points, unlock badges, and track their progress on a simple dashboard. The app’s design prioritizes accessibility, with large fonts, high contrast, and intuitive navigation.

How we built it

We used Bolt.new for rapid prototyping and deployment. The app leverages Bolt’s UI components for accessible design, JavaScript for gamification logic, and mock data for phishing simulations. All features were built and tested within one hour.

Challenges we ran into

Designing for accessibility was key—we balanced clarity with engagement, ensuring every element was easy to read and tap. We also had to simplify cybersecurity concepts into bite-sized, interactive lessons.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We delivered a fully functional MVP in under an hour, transforming a complex, intimidating subject into a fun, confidence-building experience for a vulnerable demographic.

What we learned

We gained valuable experience in designing for elderly and low digital literacy users, focusing on accessibility, simplicity, and positive reinforcement. Our approach can be applied to other educational and safety apps for vulnerable groups.

What's next for Cyber Guardian

We plan to expand with modules on voice scams, online shopping fraud, and identity theft, and introduce a family check-in feature to foster intergenerational support. We also have ambitions to integrate threat sensing capabilities, empowering elderly or low digital literate citizens with proactive protection.

Built With

• bolt.new
• javascript
• netlify
• next.js
• react
• typescript