U of G students in a class learning about cyber security

Canada Cyber Foundry at University of Guelph

Who is Canada Cyber Foundry (CCF) at University of Guelph?

The University of Guelph has established itself as an industry leader in cybersecurity through its research in the School of Computer Science and the creation of the Master of Cybersecurity and Threat Intelligence (MCTI) in 2019, the only graduate program in Canada dedicated to training students in cybersecurity and threat intelligence for professional practice.

While these programs serve a critical role, the need for cybersecurity professionals in Canada far exceeds the capacity of the program to generate graduates.

By leveraging existing faculty, research, students, graduates, program managers and facilities, U of G is ready to introduce programmatic solutions to meet the expansive needs of cybersecurity across multiple pillars. The vehicle to do so is the Canada Cyber Foundry (CCF) for cybersecurity research, training and enterprise incubation.

Eradicate Cyber Poverty by 2030

The Canada Cyber Foundry is committed to eliminating cyber poverty by 2030. In this context, "poverty" refers to the state in which organizations lack sufficient cybersecurity resources, leading to degraded visibility and increased risks. This vulnerable situation affects small businesses, local governments, and public schools, among others, who often lack the necessary expertise and resources for adequate protection. We are dedicated to bridging this digital divide and ensuring that all organizations have access to the cybersecurity measures they need. Join us in our mission to eradicate cyber poverty by 2030.

The CCF is comprised of four modern pillars

Supporting industry-inspired research in cybersecurity. This will involve collaborating with industry partners to identify current and emerging cybersecurity threats, develop innovative solutions, and test and validate those solutions in real-world settings. By focusing on the needs and challenges of the cybersecurity industry, industry-inspired research can produce results that are relevant and applicable to real-world cybersecurity problems. Read more about CCF Research.
Education and Training, including corporate training for small and medium sized companies and their employees. This will allow companies to use the CCF to obtain and sustain industry credentials, such as those developed by the EC-Council, ISACA (formerly known as the Information Systems Audit and Control Association) and International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, or (ISC)2. Read more about CCF Partnerships.
Business Accelerator and Support: A world-class accelerator program. This program is for cybersecurity start-ups currently at their “seed” stage of financing, providing them with access to advanced cyber training, mentorship and human and infrastructure resources. University of Guelph students in the MCTI and MCLC programs have the opportunity to not only be part of the accelerator program as entrepreneurs, but also the potential to secure internships or employment with start-up companies. Read more about the Entrepreneur Accelerate Program.
Commercialization, Non-Profit Cyber Consultancy. The CCF will support SMEs in Canada with their cyber challenges and in securing the Cybersecure Canada Certification. Read more about CCF SME.

Canada Cyber Foundry

Our Faculty

Proven Research Success

The success of research at the Canada Cyber Foundry is nothing short of remarkable, highlighted by its impressive financial support, totaling over $2 million. This substantial backing includes over $1.2 million in federal funding from sources such as NSERC, CFI, and CRC, showcasing the Foundry's commitment to advancing the frontiers of cybersecurity. Furthermore, they have secured over $76,000 in provincial funding, which includes matching funds from MCU, underscoring the recognition of their invaluable contributions to the field. Their collaborative efforts with industry partners have resulted in an additional $205,000 in funding, emphasizing the practical impact of their work. Notably, the Foundry has also secured a substantial $580,000 in funding from Mitacs, further solidifying their dedication to fostering cybersecurity expertise. Additionally, their exemplary achievements were recently acknowledged with the University Research Excellence Award in 2022, accompanied by a $5,000 grant, reinforcing their position as pioneers in the cybersecurity research landscape. Together, these accomplishments underscore the Canada Cyber Foundry's unwavering dedication to advancing knowledge and forging a safer digital future.

Partnerships

Base-Level

Access to Cyber Security Expert for emergency event specific guidance (8 hours)
One $5000 Named Scholarship based on company CSR program (EDI, International, Gender)
Preferential student selection access to student for a four-month internship with faculty guidance ($7500 value)
Invitation to IAB board meetings with CISO level + partners from industry across Canada
Access to Canada Cyber Foundry facility for stand-alone event use including remote meeting technology for virtual attendees
One presentation for MCTI/MCLC students to promote product, company to assist with talent pipeline efforts
Promotion of membership on MCTI/MCLC/Canada Cyber Foundry website including (including photo, branding and LinkedIn address of individual member and corporate page
Promotional recognition for all CCF activities related to tradeshows, events and student areas including logo recognition on all promotional banners, electronic and digital media
Reposts and promotion of IAB official social media feeds for LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram (and specific sponsored events as requested) from MCTI and Canada Cyber Foundry Social Media accounts
Priority consideration for news story in University of Guelph electronic-news showing the impact of the combined work and research efforts to promote the partnership (65k email accounts)
Priority access for additional promotion options at IAB meetings and CCF events

STRATEGIC LEVEL (BASE-LEVEL + ACCESS) - $30,000 + $7,500

Access to all Base-Level opportunities
Exclusive advising and consulting services based on 5 hours a month (average) for technical guidance, consulting, security questions and issues
One Branded seminar/event sponsorship for students and community event with live-streaming and promotion.
Access to research proposal requests and investigative partnerships at the master or PhD level for targeted research, design and development
Preferential student selection access to second student for a four-month internship with faculty guidance ($7500 value)

Incubator Hub

Business Accelerator and Support: A world-class accelerator program. This program will be for cybersecurity start-ups currently at their “seed” stage of financing, providing them with access to advanced cyber training, mentorship and human and infrastructure resources. University of Guelph students in the MCTI and MCLC programs would have the opportunity to not only be part of the accelerator program as entrepreneurs, but also the potential to secure internships or employment with the start-up companies. Read more about the Entrepreneur Accelerate Program.

Facility

The brand new physical office space of CCF is located at 150 Research Lane (Suite 120), Guelph ON (Google Maps). A key strategic part of the CCF success, our collaboration space has all the critical components to ensure that CCF can meet its objectives. Critical components to meet student and industry learning partner needs is a state-of-the-art teaching space with occupancy for 60 people. This space allows remote conferencing and interactive hands-on opportunities.

The large cyber lab space allows for industry presentations, research proposals and the ability to host small groups of innovators to meet the growing needs of both large and SME cyberpreneurship. efforts.

CCF ability to house industry partners in a collaborative workspace along with students, researchers and faculty is critical to incubate ideas and foster creative solutions.

Students, researchers, faculty, and industry liaise in a relaxed and creative atmosphere is essential for collaborative and creative success. CCF’s unique space allows for both casual and formal interactions to inspire creativity and foster innovation.

Programs

Master degree in Cybersecurity and Threat Intelligence (MCTI)

As Canada's only ONE year Master Cybersecurity Program that focuses on Threat Intelligence (MCTI), the University of Guelph will help create the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Located adjacent to Canada's Technology Triangle (CTT) and only a one hour drive from Toronto, our in-person program strongly connects to local industry and career opportunities. Graduates of the master's program will become leaders in security analysis and design, threat intelligence, penetration testing and malware analytics, cryptography engineering and digital forensics.

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest growing fields around the world. Threats to public safety are evolving at a rapid rate with the expansion of technology, networks and devices in existence and coming to market. There is a significant gap between skilled cybersecurity professionals and the need for this expertise – a gap which U of G is ready to address. More information about MCTI

AGRI-FOOD CYBER

Ali Dehghantanha gets phone calls from farmers, sometimes in the middle of the night, looking for help with a cyberattack. In the last year, his squad of engineers and computer scientists has responded to dozens of reports of hacks inside farming and food production operations around southwestern Ontario. In some cases, it’s the garden variety hacking you’d expect, someone clicked a bad link in a sketchy email and now hackers want money to unlock a system or give back the farmer’s data. Read More from Yahoo News