News & Updates

The Digital Learning team participated in a refreshingly innovative approach to cybersecurity awareness training through CGI Cyber Escape, an escape room designed to save your data rather than just test your puzzle-solving prowess. This immersive experience transforms cybersecurity fundamentals into an engaging and memorable educational opportunity that's actually enjoyable.

Navigating the complexities of phishing scams or understanding zero-day exploits rarely makes it onto anyone's preferred reading list. Many staff members are well-intentioned but may lack comprehensive understanding of their cybersecurity responsibilities and how their actions could inadvertently leave the University's digital front door wide open. Cyber Escape addresses this gap by positioning security as everyone's responsibility.

The format is straightforward: small groups of 6-8 participants work together for up to 50 minutes in a converted shipping container dressed like a 90's PC shop. Walking in gave a nostalgic feel, from the mini discs strewn across the desk to the posters of 80's and 90's computer games like Sensible Soccer and Micro Machines.

Two dedicated CGI Games Master keep things moving smoothly and ensures no one tries to solve cybersecurity puzzles through brute force or end up barking up the wrong tree. Participants engage in teamwork to discover clues, solve puzzles, and decipher security-related scenarios. These challenges are purposefully designed educational tools rather than arbitrary puzzles. They specifically aim to educate participants about potential cybersecurity risks, demonstrate methods to protect information and assets, and illustrate strategies to mitigate cyber-attack impacts. This approach emphasises practical application over passive information consumption.

Recent high-profile security breaches affecting major retailers like Marks & Spencer and Co-op underscore the critical importance of such training initiatives.

This approach represents a genuine game-changer in cybersecurity education methodology. By transforming traditionally dry security awareness training into an engaging, collaborative experience, participants gain practical understanding of digital asset protection skills that prove far more valuable than finding keys under fake rocks or memorizing endless policy documents.

If you need to brush up on your cybersecurity knowledge, please explore these useful links:

https://warwick.ac.uk/services/its/servicessupport/itss/

https://warwick.ac.uk/services/its/servicessupport/web/sign-on/help/twostep/two-step-authentication-guide/