welcome to Cybersecurity Shores!
More than just a subject, cybersecurity is the foundation for building a smarter and safer online experience for everyone. Whether you’re a student curious about the tech world, a teacher eager to introduce cybersecurity into your lessons, or a parent looking to guide your teen, these resources highlight how digital literacy and cybersecurity skills are vital in daily life and provide valuable insight into future career possibilities.
Revisit earlier stops on your journey to digital literacy!
With each new destination you explore, going back helps you see familiar concepts in fresh ways, building stronger skills and understanding along the way.
In Cybersecurity Shores, you’ll find tools and opportunities to inspire interest in cybersecurity, digital literacy, and the broader job market. From the Canadian Cybersecurity Skills Framework to gamified learning through CyberTitan and InspireTech, from free online courses like CISCO NetAcademy’s Introduction to Cybersecurity and KnowledgeFlow’s Charting Your Course to Cybersecurity, to insights from career coaches like Cyber 411, there’s something here for everyone. Best of all, many of these resources can be explored independently—teens can dive in on their own, without needing to rely on a classroom setting.
So, gear up and embark on an exciting journey through Cybersecurity Shores—where every click and discovery brings you closer to mastering the skills that will shape your future in a digital world full of possibilities!
Introduction to Cyber Security for Educators
Empower your teaching journey with this free, self-paced course designed just for you! As an educator, you play a vital role in guiding students toward safer online experiences. This foundational course is designed to boost your understanding and confidence in cybersecurity, providing the essential tools and knowledge to protect both yourself and your students in today’s digital world.
Learn key cybersecurity terminology, recognize potential threats, and implement effective protection measures specific to the education sector. Discover how to create a secure online learning environment, explore career paths in cybersecurity, and access valuable resources to support your teaching.
Visit the Cyber Centre Learning Hub to explore the entire Cyber Security Stream course catalogue.
Post-secondary cyber security related programs guide
With the demand for skilled cyber professionals on the rise, academic institutions across Canada are stepping up by offering dedicated cybersecurity programs and courses within existing fields of study. This comprehensive guide empowers both educators and students to easily explore and navigate these options.
Students- begin your journey toward an exciting and impactful career in cybersecurity by exploring a wide range of post-secondary options. Easily filter programs by province or territory, certification type, institution, delivery method, and more to quickly compare programs with ease, and further explore each option with the provided links. Start exploring and find the perfect program to advance your cybersecurity career!
Educators – support your students on their path to becoming future cybersecurity leaders! Use this tool to stay informed about the post-secondary options available in this dynamic and in-demand field.
Cyber Skills Development Newsletter
The Cyber Skills Development monthly newsletter is perfect for educators looking to enhance their cyber knowledge. Sign up to stay updated on the newest cybersecurity resources, upcoming events, and educational activities.
To subscribe to their mailing list, send an email to:
cyberskills-cybercompetences@cyber.gc.ca.
Note: Only business or student email addresses are accepted.
(hotmail.com, gmail.com, msn.com, and outlook.com domains are not permitted)
Explore Cybersecurity with the Get Cyber Safe Quiz Hosted on ChatterHigh
This engaging quiz, based on content from the CSE including their Get Cyber Safe program, challenges students to test their knowledge of cybersecurity best practices, key statistics, and career opportunities. Each question links to a CSE webpage, encouraging students to actively research and find the answer. Points are awarded not just for correct answers but also for opening and exploring the research page, making this quiz a fun and interactive way to learn while developing critical digital literacy skills. Note to Teachers: contact ChatterHigh directly at contact@chatterhigh.com for assistance with setting up your classroom accounts.
Introduction to Cybersecurity Course
Cybersecurity professionals who can protect and defend an organization’s network are in high demand. This introductory course takes you inside the exciting world of cybersecurity to discover why the field offers a ‘future-proof’ career. Learn cybersecurity basics to protect your personal digital life and gain insights into the biggest security challenges that companies, governments, and educational institutions face today.
Available in both self-paced and instructor-led formats, access the course they way you want to! The self-paced version allows students to get started right away on their own schedule, while the instructor-led option is perfect for educators looking to run this course in their classrooms.
Note for educators: For more information on running the instructor-led version of the course – see the ‘How To Become A Networking Academy’ section below.
How to become a Networking Academy
Teachers, implement the Introduction to Cybersecurity course in your classroom by registering your class as a Networking Academy. The process is straightforward and takes just a few minutes. Download the step-by-step guide to setting up a Networking Academy below.
Cybersecurity as a career for everyone
Explore the exciting world of cybersecurity careers through this video and hands-on activity! Designed for both students and educators this combo dives into future-focused cybersecurity roles, the skills needed to succeed, and how to start preparing today.
Complementing the video, the activity guides you through the practical steps of analyzing a job posting to extract required skills and create a personalized development plan. Analyze real job postings, uncover key skills, and create your personalized career development plan. Perfect for sparking interest and setting students on the path to success in the tech world!
ICTC’s CyberTitan
CyberTitan, one of Canada’s largest cyber defense competitions, is an exciting opportunity for middle and secondary school students to learn critical digital skills and prepare for the digital-based economy.
Through ICTC’s CyberTitan, students face simulated cyber threat environments mirroring the threats encountered by Canadian businesses every year. This unique experience strengthens their problem-solving, creativity, communication, and teamwork skills, all while preparing them for success in STEM programs and diverse career paths.
CyberTitan has already inspired and equipped over 5,000 students, including 85 all-female teams, with invaluable skills for the future. The program empowers young people, supports gender diversity in tech, and positions them for higher education and in-demand careers.
Don’t miss out on an opportunity to prepare for the future and bring cybersecurity skills into your classroom—join CyberTitan today and be part of Canada’s next wave of cyber experts!
CyberTitan Training the Cybersecurity Talent of Tomorrow
Discover firsthand insights about the CyberTitan competition from those who know it best! Get an authentic look at what makes CyberTitan so impactful by hearing from students and educators who have participated. Featuring ICTC’s Education Specialist, Tim King, and National Director of CyberTitan, Sheena Bolton.
An excellent resource for students and educators alike, this video showcases practical, everyday examples of cybersecurity in action and dispels common misconceptions about careers in the field.
Follow a student as she navigates a typical day and realizes that helping others stay safe online can be just as impactful as any traditional helping profession, like nursing. Watch as she assists six people she knows with their digital safety and see why you don’t need to be an expert coder to pursue an exciting career in cybersecurity.
Stay Safe Online and Become a Cybersecurity Pro
An excellent resource for students and educators alike, this video showcases practical, everyday examples of cybersecurity in action and dispels common misconceptions about careers in the field.
Follow a student as she navigates a typical day and realizes that helping others stay safe online can be just as impactful as any traditional helping profession, like nursing. Watch as she assists six people she knows with their digital safety and see why you don’t need to be an expert coder to pursue an exciting career in cybersecurity.
Charting your Course: A Map from Cybersafety to Cybersecurity
This course will not only instill personal cybersafety best practices and introduce professional cybersecurity concepts, but also highlight diverse career pathways into the field. Individuals can self-enroll in the self-paced version or teachers can register their class to receive anonymized accounts for their students – meaning no personal information of students is provided or collected … no names, no emails, no student numbers!
Charting Your Course to Cybersecurity has 3 intersecting objectives:
Personal Cybersafety: We believe that the first step towards mastering cybersecurity is understanding the best practices for personal cybersafety. The course comprises 8 modules covering the critical aspects of cybersafety including: device and connection security, account and personal information protection, privacy rights and responsibilities, social engineering and scam recognition, and mitigating content/conduct and contact risks.
Introduce Cybersecurity: It’s never too early to start learning about the professional world of cybersecurity. We will introduce students to essential cybersecurity concepts and terminologies. With a strong foundation, students can understand the intricate world of cybersecurity, preparing them for the future.
Highlight Career Pathways: The world of cybersecurity offers a wealth of opportunities. This course not only focuses on academic pathways into cybersecurity careers, but also sheds light on non-traditional avenues. Students will get a comprehensive view of what the field has to offer and how they can be a part of it.
Finding Your Path to Cybersecurity
Feeling lost on your journey to a cybersecurity career? Our interactive resource, Mapping Pathways to Cyber Careers, outlines various pathways with step-by-step guides on how to enter the Cybersecurity industry and begin your career in the field.
Whether you are a high school student, hold a degree in Computer Science/Tech, hold a different degree or have experience in another field and want to get into the cybersecurity industry, we have you covered. The cybersecurity industry is diverse and does not require a singular skillset or degree requirement.
Charting Your Course: An Interview with Claudiu Popa, Cybersecurity Guest Expert
Claudiu Popa, CEO of Informatica Corporation and Datarisk Canada, as well as the founder and CEO of the KnowledgeFlow Cybersafety Foundation, brings his wealth of experience to answer common questions from high school students about careers in cybersecurity. Through personal stories and expert insights, Claudiu provides an authentic look into what it takes to thrive in the field.
Students will gain valuable knowledge to help them decide if a career in cybersecurity is the right path for them, as Claudiu shares the realities, challenges, and rewards of working in this fast-paced industry.
This resource is also a powerful tool for educators to highlight key lessons and prepare students for the field, emphasizing the importance of dedication, continuous learning, and a broad skill set crucial for long-term success.
Explore more resources like this
BREACH TTX
InspireTech’s BreachTTX is an immersive, gamified cybersecurity training tool designed to engage both students and educators in exploring the dynamic field of cybersecurity. Students can experience what it’s like to work in cybersecurity, taking on the role of professionals tasked with defending a multinational company from simulated cyberattacks. Through strategic decision-making, they’ll protect company locations from threats that target availability, integrity, and confidentiality—the core principles of cybersecurity. As students navigate the game, they’ll gain insight into the day-to-day challenges faced by cybersecurity experts and the skills required to protect organizations from cybercrime.
Objective:
Defend your company’s global networks from cyberattacks.
How to Play:
- Select Cybersecurity Professionals:
- Choose up to 3 professionals with different skills to defend against attacks.
- Solo players control all professionals. In team play, each player picks one professional.
- Use Defense Cards:
- Each professional gets 3 defense cards (Availability, Integrity, Confidentiality). Match cards to attack types to protect locations.
- Take Turns (Team Play):
- Team play is the same as solo play, except players take turns acting as their chosen professional.
- Goal:
- Resolve incidents and protect locations before cybercriminals overwhelm the network.
Work alone or with teammates to defeat all 117 attacks!
How to get access to the game
- Navigate to https://breach-ttx.ca/
- Select “BreachTTX Login”
- Select “BreachTTX Trial Access”
- Enter the Password “Breach123”
- Have fun!
Understanding basic cybersecurity is no longer optional—it’s an essential part of digital literacy. Whether it’s evaluating the tools and systems you use daily or staying safe online, these skills empower you to navigate the digital world with confidence. For those interested in diving deeper, cybersecurity offers exciting career opportunities in a rapidly growing field where your skills can make a real impact.
Many of the activities and resources in this section can be explored independently, so students don’t need to wait for a teacher or parent to get started. For educators, these tools—videos, games, quizzes, and more—can be seamlessly integrated across the curriculum, from careers and technical classes to literacy and digital skills lessons. Cybersecurity isn’t just a subject; it’s a gateway to a safer, smarter digital future for everyone.