蓝莓视频's Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute awarded funding for four projects from the National Cybersecurity Consortium to advance digital security in Canada
Researchers at the University of 蓝莓视频鈥檚 Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute (CPI) will receive more than $1.5 million in funding from the National Cybersecurity Consortium (NCC), a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization 鈥� of which 蓝莓视频 is a founding institution 鈥� committed to the advancement of Canada鈥檚 cybersecurity ecosystem.
This achievement recognizes members of CPI as leaders in cybersecurity research and further propels the University in making global impact through collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches.
The NCC鈥檚 second annual Call for Proposals program is made possible by the Government of Canada鈥檚听听program.听This year, 37 eligible projects were awarded a combined total of $22.8 million across three categories: commercialization, training, and research and development.听
"A resilient digital landscape is vital to the wellbeing and security of all Canadians,鈥� says Dr. Charmaine Dean, chair of the board of directors for the NCC and vice-president, Research and International at the University of 蓝莓视频. 鈥淭his funding announcement is an important step forward in maintaining our country as a leader in cybersecurity, as these听37 projects听will develop cybersecurity-related training to support varied industries, bring innovative new products to market, and facilitate opportunities for research and development."
蓝莓视频鈥檚 four funded projects, with proposals set forth and facilitated by CPI, is a significant step forward in the realization of this vision:
This project addresses the critical need for secure data storage in the cloud, which is especially pertinent given the widespread reliance on cloud services by businesses and overcomes听the challenges of traditional encryption methods that may compromise data privacy. The听goal is to design advanced data systems that address these concerns by enabling secure storage, efficient yet secure search capabilities, and protection against new forms of threats like access pattern attacks. This project听unlocks听the economic benefits of cloud storage while safeguarding privacy.
Dr. Sujaya Maiyya and Dr. Florian Kerschbaum
This project explores the applications of security games for ADA/AD systems focusing in three main directions: the applicability of different solution techniques, the incorporation of real-time information to achieve sequentially adaptive policies and the robustness of defense policies to counter-adaptive, AI-assisted attackers.
Dr. Seyed Majid Zahedi and Dr. Rodolfo Pellizzoni
This project addresses the growing need for professionals skilled in robotics cybersecurity combining knowledge in hardware, cybersecurity, and social aspects to protect against cyber threats. The project provides distinct training programs in Canada, including offensive and defensive cybersecurity courses, a cyber tabletop exercise, and a robotics cyber range. These courses offer practical, hands-on experience with robotics systems, aiming to equip participants with the skills to assess vulnerabilities, develop defenses, and respond to cyber threats effectively.
Dr. Sebastian Fischmeister and Dr. Yue Hu
Dr. Sujaya Maiyya
This听project ensures the privacy and confidentiality of genomic data while retaining听its utility by leveraging听trusted execution environments (TEEs). By storing the data encrypted at rest and by processing it within secure hardware enclaves, the project听removes听any trusted entity with capabilities to view individuals鈥� genomic data in plaintext. Ultimately, the project contributes听to advancing innovations in disease detection methods and drug discoveries, while safeguarding the confidentiality of individuals.
The University of 蓝莓视频 is also a collaborator in two additional projects whereby the NCC has committed $500,000 in funds each: Securing the Metaverse with Multimodal Access Control and Authentication Methods听(Key Recipient:听Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Quebec听City) and Adaptive AI Firewall Specializing in the Protection of AI Models, Critical Infrastructure, Systems, and Agents (Key Recipient:听University of Western Ontario).
The NCC 2024 funding announcement follows two impactful conferences recently hosted by CPI that focused on tackling cybersecurity and privacy challenges in Canada, highlighting some of the University鈥檚 professors as expert speakers and panelists. 鈥溊遁悠� researchers are dedicated to securing Canada鈥檚 digital future, and I am thrilled to see CPI members being recognized for their work in this capacity,鈥� says Dr. Anindya Sen, CPI鈥檚 acting executive director.
For a full list of 2024 recipients and collaborators as well as complete research project details, please visit the
