C³D and siberX Launch Cyber Escape Room in Ajax, Ontario to Bring Hands-On Cybersecurity Learning to the Public
Two immersive rooms, The Lost USB and Cipher Vault, open to families, students, corporate teams and public sector organisations, with bookings opening October 1, 2026
AJAX, ON, Sept. 30, 2026 /CNW/ — The Canadian Centre for Cyber Defence (C³D) and siberX today launched the C³D Cyber Escape Room, a new experiential cybersecurity attraction at C³D’s Ajax location. The experience turns core cybersecurity concepts into collaborative, timed challenges, giving families, friends, school groups, corporate teams and public sector organisations a practical way to learn how digital threats unfold and how to respond to them. No prior cybersecurity knowledge is required.
The partnership brings together two Canadian organisations with a shared conviction: that cybersecurity education is most effective when it is lived rather than lectured. The launch combines C³D’s cybersecurity education and training expertise with siberX’s experience convening Canada’s cybersecurity community through events.
“Cybersecurity education cannot remain behind a desk,” said Ali Abbas Hirji, Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Cyber Defence. “The C³D Cyber Escape Room is our commitment to experiential learning, putting people inside the situation, under real pressure, with real consequences for every decision they make. Partnering with siberX allows us to bring that experience to a public audience from day one.”
Participants can choose between two rooms, each built around a different kind of investigation. In The Lost USB, teams follow clues through a digital forensics investigation involving a missing device. In Cipher Vault, they use cryptography and analysis to uncover the connection between a code and its key. Both rooms ask participants to examine evidence, test ideas and make decisions against the clock while learning foundational cybersecurity concepts.
“Cybersecurity can feel distant until you have to make a decision with limited time and incomplete information,” said Mahdi Raza, Chief Executive Officer, siberX. “This experience gives people a way to work through those moments together, ask better questions and leave with a clearer sense of how cybersecurity affects everyday life.”
The C³D Cyber Escape Room is designed for four audiences. For families and the general public, it offers an accessible, educational outing for anyone curious about cybersecurity. For students and schools, it provides a hands-on complement to classroom learning and is available as a structured field trip or extracurricular activity. For corporate teams, it serves as a team-building exercise that develops collaborative problem-solving and cyber awareness under pressure. For government and public sector teams, it offers a practical, scenario-based cyber resilience exercise for team and department-level groups.
Beyond individual sessions, organisations can combine the escape room with C³D workshops or corporate training as a half-day or full-day program, and schools can book a full visit package pairing the escape room with a structured workshop. Private event bookings for corporate team days, school programs and government exercises are also available outside regular operating hours. Future additions such as leaderboards and seasonal challenge updates are planned to keep the experience fresh for returning visitors.
About the Canadian Centre for Cyber Defence (C³D)
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Defence (C³D) is a Canadian organisation dedicated to strengthening the country’s digital security posture through cybersecurity education, training and experiential learning. Based in Ajax, Ontario, C³D works with individuals, schools, businesses and government partners to build practical cyber skills and resilience. For more information, visit thec3d.org.
About siberX
siberX is a Canadian organisation that brings the cybersecurity community together through events, programs and partnerships that connect professionals, learners and organisations across the country. For more information, visit siberx.org.
SOURCE Canadian Centre for Cyber Defence
