It's All About The Layers!
Cybersecurity, like an onion, requires multiple protective layers working together. Transform complex security concepts into a 100% free, interactive ecosystem. Make both cybersecurity awareness and physical health part of your daily routine.
🚨 Big News
Layer Defender is coming to Steam PC — a proper isometric horde shooter built in Unreal Engine 5, where every enemy is a real cyber threat made physical. This is the biggest Shielded Onion project yet.
See What's Coming →Understanding layered security through engaging gameplay and real-world application
Cybersecurity requires multiple protective layers working together. There is no such thing as a "silver bullet" for defense. This project turns complex security concepts into a 100% free, interactive ecosystem. Created by a tech veteran using AI, it's designed to make both cybersecurity awareness and physical health part of your daily routine.
Your journey starts with a single free account, giving you access to every game. We use a "Play to Progress" approach fueled by Compute Cycles (CC)—our universal in-game currency. Earn CC by answering daily trivia, playing strategy games, or tracking your real-world steps. Spend CC to buy card packs, upgrade your digital Onion, or influence the weekly faction wars.
Everything is connected. CC earned on your phone while walking is ready to spend when you log in on your desktop. Your progress syncs across all layers, creating a seamless ecosystem where every action matters.
To get the most out of the ecosystem, follow the "Daily Loop"
Log into Threat Command to answer IT-related questions and grab your daily CC bonus. Test your knowledge and stay sharp with cybersecurity trivia.
Let Walking Layers track your steps. Your physical activity advances story narratives and generates "back-end support" for the digital layers.
Use your CC to deploy firewalls or launch exploits to help your side win the weekly Attacker vs. Defender event. Every action influences the global security landscape.
Use your rewards to build a deck in Digital Duel and challenge other players in asynchronous card battles. Outmaneuver your rivals!
Each layer represents a different aspect of cybersecurity defense. Explore and start your journey through the Shielded Onion.
The foundation of your journey. Create your free Shielded Onion account to access all layers, track your progress, and join the global community of defenders and attackers.
Create AccountThe heart of the Onion. Answer IT trivia, earn CC, and lead your faction in the weekly global war. Test your knowledge daily and influence the security landscape with strategic CC deployment.
Enter CommandStrategic card combat. Build your custom deck with CC earned across the ecosystem and outmaneuver rivals in asynchronous battles. Master 50+ unique cards with powerful synergies.
Play NowInfrastructure survival. Prioritise patches and deploy security controls to survive incoming waves of threats. Manage resources wisely and protect your critical systems from sophisticated attacks.
Start DefendingLogic and speed. Identify malicious patterns in a high-speed typing race against the clock. Train your reflexes to distinguish legitimate traffic from malicious intrusions.
Test SpeedHigh-level strategy. Manage your global security posture and deploy universal protective tools. Test your strategy in this merge-and-defense game where every decision impacts your defenses.
Manage MatrixPhysical security. Convert your real-world steps into CC and branching narrative progress. Connect your Health Connect app and let every step you take strengthen the Onion.
Experience Shielded Onion in a whole new way! A cybersecurity-themed escape room built in Escape Simulator 2. Test your puzzle-solving skills and security knowledge in an immersive 3D environment.
Why play alone when you can lead? Join or create a Squad to take your engagement to the next level.
Squads pool their resources to dominate the Faction War. A well-coordinated group can shift the entire security landscape of the Onion. Combine your CC spending for maximum effect.
Playing within a Company or Friend group is the ultimate "proof of work." It offers a transparent leaderboard where your consistent daily scores and technical knowledge are on full display to your peers and management.
For companies, Squads transform boring "compliance training" into a competitive, active defense culture. It's a fun way to prove your team is sharp, active, and ready for real-world threats.
Climb the global leaderboards together. Squad specialization points set by your leader provide strategic advantages that can turn the tide of battle in critical moments.
Squad achievements unlock special rewards and bonuses for all members. Your collective progress opens new gameplay features and exclusive events that solo players can't access.
Built-in squad chat and coordination tools help your team strategize. Plan your attacks, coordinate defense deployments, and share tips to maximize your collective effectiveness.
Learn from your squadmates through shared knowledge and friendly competition. Squad analytics show where members excel, creating natural mentorship opportunities across skill levels.
Top-performing squads earn unique badges, titles, and cosmetic rewards. Show off your team's achievements and stand out in the global community with exclusive squad-only items.
High-ranking squads get featured in weekly highlights and community showcases. Build your reputation and inspire others while celebrating your team's cybersecurity expertise together.
Want to bring your colleagues or friends into the Onion? We've made it easy with these invite templates.
Subject: Suggestion: A new way for us to stay sharp on Cyber Awareness Hi, I've recently been using a platform called Shielded Onion. It's a 100% free ecosystem that gamifies cybersecurity awareness and IT knowledge through daily trivia, faction-based events, and even physical activity tracking. I was thinking it would be great to start a Company Squad. It's a fun, low-friction way for us to: • Stay consistent with our daily security knowledge. • Foster some healthy competition through internal leaderboards. • Showcase our team's technical expertise in a global "Attackers vs. Defenders" meta-game. It's built by an IT veteran and doesn't cost the company anything. If you're interested, you can check it out here: https://shieldedonion.co.uk Let me know if you want me to set up the Squad!
Subject: Are you still a tech nerd? (Check this out) Hey, I just found this project called Shielded Onion and immediately thought of you. It's basically a connected universe of games—daily trivia, strategy games, and a card battler—all themed around cybersecurity. There's even a fitness layer called Walking Layers that uses your actual steps to play through stories. I've already done about 10k steps on it! I'm putting a Squad together so we can climb the leaderboards and take on the weekly faction wars. It's free and a great way to stay sharp. Join my squad and let's see if you've still got it. Sign up here: https://shieldedonion.co.uk
Headline: Gamifying Cyber Awareness: Who's in? I'm diving deep into Shielded Onion, a brilliant project that turns cybersecurity education into a multi-layered game ecosystem. From daily technical drills in Threat Command to physical health goals in Walking Layers, it's the most engaging way I've found to keep my skills sharp. I'm looking for a few more players to join my Squad. It's a great way to stay visible in the community and prove we know our stuff while having a blast. Join me here: https://shieldedonion.co.uk #CyberSecurity #ShieldedOnion #Gamification #TechCommunity
I have been playing Shielded Onion games since they started and have found them to be both fun and engaging.
As a fan of working with A.I. it is great to see how people can quickly advance in their visions.
Everything about this platform is designed to be fun and engaging whilst giving players skills and knowledge that can be applied in the real world to build a good understanding of a proven approach for effectively defending against cyber threats. This should be in schools and organisations.
Really enjoy playing Digital Duel, there needs to be a larger player base.
Join thousands of players strengthening their cybersecurity knowledge every day
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use carefully ⚠️
Last Updated: 26 October 2025
Welcome to Shielded Onion, a collection of online cybersecurity games and experiences created and managed by a single independent UK developer. This page sets out our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for all services, including the Walking Layers Android app.
By creating an account or using any part of this service, you agree to these terms.
You agree to:
We reserve the right to rename, suspend, or remove any account that violates our community standards or these terms.
Some story elements, gameplay text, and cyber-security questions or scenarios are created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) systems under human supervision. While every effort is made to review and test this material for accuracy and appropriateness, unintentional factual errors or content that could be considered offensive may occur.
The content is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be relied upon as professional cyber-security advice. There is no malicious intent behind any such content, and you acknowledge that use of this material is at your own discretion.
All donations made through Ko-fi or other platforms are voluntary, greatly appreciated, and non-refundable. Donations help support hosting, development, and ongoing updates.
Inactive accounts (no login for 60 consecutive days) may be permanently deleted to manage data responsibly. A warning email will be sent before deletion. Once deleted, all related data — including gameplay progress and personal details — will be irretrievably lost.
Your privacy matters. This section explains what data we collect, how we use it, where it's stored, and your rights under the UK GDPR.
This service is operated by an independent UK developer trading as Shielded Onion.
Contact: [email protected]
Website: https://shieldedonion.co.uk
There is no physical business address — this project is run solely online from the United Kingdom.
For data protection purposes, Shielded Onion is the data controller.
We do not sell or rent your data to anyone and do not use it for targeted advertising.
Some games display limited player information publicly to foster competition:
To maintain your privacy, please choose a username that does not identify you personally.
We process personal data under these lawful bases:
You can withdraw consent at any time by removing access through Android's Health Connect permissions or by uninstalling the Walking Layers app.
Data is stored securely using Supabase, whose servers are located in the United States. Supabase acts as a data processor under our direction and provides encryption and access controls. Daily database backups are kept for up to 30 days, after which they are permanently deleted.
By using our services, you acknowledge that your data may be transferred outside the UK. Supabase complies with the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, ensuring adequate protection.
Emails for account registration and activity notifications are sent through Supabase or our own mail domain (hosted by Stackmail). We do not send marketing or promotional emails without your explicit consent.
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the following rights:
To exercise these rights, contact [email protected].
If you are not satisfied with how your data is handled, you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk.
Our services are not designed for children under 13 years old (or 16 in the UK/EU). We do not knowingly collect data from minors. If you believe a child has created an account, please contact us immediately and we will delete the data.
However, no online service can guarantee 100% security. Use of the service is at your own risk.
Walking Layers uses Health Connect to access your daily step count:
We may update this Privacy Policy and Terms occasionally to reflect new features or legal requirements. When updates occur, we'll update the "Last Updated" date above and, where necessary, notify you via email or in-app message.
For any privacy or data concerns, please email [email protected].
We only collect the minimal data needed to make the games work — your email, username, and (optionally) your step count. We never sell or share your data, and you can delete your account at any time. Some storylines and cyber-security questions are AI-assisted; they're for learning and entertainment, not professional advice. You can withdraw Health Connect access by revoking permissions or uninstalling the app.
By registering an account you agree that use of this service is entirely at your own risk.
Stay informed about the latest features, game updates, and community events. Visit our news page for detailed announcements and development roadmap.
Connect with other players, share feedback, report bugs, and get early dev updates. Built by one developer who reads everything posted.
Pick your side — Defender or Attacker. Share runs, report bugs, suggest features, and follow Layer Defender's journey to Steam.
Join the DiscordExplore our AI-generated video content showcasing the creative possibilities of modern AI technology. See how AI is being used to create engaging educational and entertainment content for Shielded Onion.
Your feedback is a vital layer of this project. If you have ideas, suggestions, or comments about Shielded Onion games, we would love to hear them.