Who is the team behind the Data Security Foundation?
The Data Security Foundation was founded by Canadian students Evan Robertson, Sam Bronson, and Daniel Palij, from Fleming College’s Computer Security and Investigations program. This project was born from their final applied semester assignment.
The goal was simple.
Researchers are not typical targets.
They hold confidential, proprietary data that drives innovation in Canada. This makes them high-value targets for cyberattacks.
When that data is compromised, it’s not just a breach.
It’s a loss of intellectual property, national innovation, and academic integrity.
Over three months, the team developed a resource researchers can trust.
A reliable place to learn the basics of cybersecurity without being overwhelmed.
They created a self-assessment tool researchers can use instantly.
It adapts to their unique context and provides immediate feedback.
They also built a curated feed of articles that identifies real risks researchers face,
and gives them practical steps they can apply right away.
The framework they worked from was grounded in three questions…
- What are the core risks university researchers face?
- How can we keep solutions relevant, applicable, and simple?
- What security standards are most useful without causing information overload?
To meet these goals, they developed two forms of content:
Deep Dive Articles
In-depth, technical explorations of specific security threats and topics.
Guides
Straight-forward action steps and checklists for immediate implementation.