The CISPA Cysec Lab is Saarland’s extracurricular learning and experience center for cybersecurity and trustworthy AI. Since its founding in 2020, it has made cybersecurity tangible through innovative formats that combine research content with gamification and storytelling. As part of the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, it offers children, young people, teachers, and citizens practical, hands-on access to the key topics of the digital society—from data protection and cryptography to artificial intelligence. The anniversary program included welcoming speeches, presentations, an exploration of the interactive exhibition and competition results, as well as various interactive stations.
CISPA Founding Director and CEO Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Michael Backes:
“The CISPA Cysec Lab is an important place for innovative educational work in Saarland. It connects science and society in a vivid way, making topics such as cybersecurity and AI tangible for people of all ages. The Cysec Lab demonstrates how research can become understandable and accessible. Our goal is to spark young people’s interest in cybersecurity and AI at an early stage—not just in theory, but through hands-on experience. Five years of Cysec Lab show that education thrives on curiosity, experimentation, and learning together.”
Minister President Anke Rehlinger:
“Five years of Cysec Lab—five years of new and innovative approaches in cybersecurity and talent development. These are paths we must continue to pursue in light of the growing importance of digitalization, AI, and cybersecurity—especially since we in Saarland aim to be at the forefront of these future-oriented fields. I am particularly pleased that the Cysec Lab inspires girls and young women to take an interest in STEM, IT, and cybersecurity. It is a visible example of how Saarland is shaping the future: Here, it’s not just about coding, but about building future skills—knowledge, curiosity, and responsibility.”
Andrea Ruffing, Head of CISPA Cysec Lab:
“Whether on-site in our facilities in St. Ingbert, on the road, or online—our goal is always to make cybersecurity tangible and understandable in innovative ways. With our interactive formats, we reach high school students, university students, and citizens alike, inspiring lasting enthusiasm for IT security. Looking back on the first five years, I am proud of everything we have already achieved together and of the team’s daily motivation and dedication to strengthening the bridge between research and societal education.”
“Where Cybersecurity Comes to Life!”—Learning Through Play, Storytelling, and Practice
The CISPA Cysec Lab’s programs can be experienced on-site at the Beckerturm in St. Ingbert, as mobile formats, or through online offerings. In interactive workshops, hands-on stations, escape rooms, and competitions, visitors discover how to navigate the internet safely and how modern IT systems work. The hands-on exhibits developed by the team make complex cybersecurity topics tangible—from password cracking to AI deepfake detection. Through gamification and storytelling, complex subjects such as cryptography, machine learning, deepfakes, web security, and data protection become vivid and accessible. The lab sees itself as a meeting place for science, education, and society, fostering digital literacy and empowerment.
With currently 23 workshop modules, 45 interactive demo stations, two live escape rooms, and one virtual escape room, the Cysec Lab offers a wide range of opportunities for visitors—from third-grade students to adults—to experience the digital world in a hands-on way. In addition to workshops, the lab organizes the CISPA Summer School, Cysec Camps for students, nationwide online challenges at Easter and Christmas (since 2025 even internationally), and presents its content at major science festivals. Since its opening, more than 11,000 high school students have participated in the workshop modules, and over 171,000 visitors have experienced the lab’s accessible and interactive demonstrations.
