What is Research Security?

Research Security is the ability to identify possible risks to your work through unwanted access, interference, or theft and to minimize these risks by protecting the inputs, processes, and products of your research and discovery.

Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC)

On February 14, 2023, the federal government announced its intent to further protect Canada’s research, its institutions, and its intellectual property by adopting an enhanced posture on Canada’s research security.  The Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern was developed in consultation with implicated federal departments and agencies, including the Tri-Agency, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Global Affairs Canada, and Canada’s research community.

Sensitive Technology Research Areas:  The list of Areas includes advanced and emerging technologies that are important to Canadian research and development but may also be of interest to foreign state, state-sponsored, and non-state actors seeking to misappropriate Canadian technological advantages to our detriment.  The list of Areas contains sub-categories to provide researchers with specific information on where the concerns lie.

Named Research Organizations:  Under the STRAC policy, research funding proposals to the Tri-Agency — Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) — as well as the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), will be denied if researchers involved have links to or have received support from any organization affiliated with military, defense, or state security entities considered threats to Canada’s national security.  The Named Research Organizations list is continually updated to reflect the changing nature of global threats to Canada’s national security.

Assess Your Risk

When determining how to manage a new or ongoing research project, it is important to assess its risk profile.  It is good practice to take time to examine your project from an economic and geopolitical standpoint.  Proper assessment of risk can help you decide what mitigation measures may be warranted.  The National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships Risk Assessment Form is a tool to identify and assess potential risks that research partnerships may pose to Canada’s national security as outlined in the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships and to develop effective mitigation measures.

Workshops and Courses

Safeguarding Science Workshops

To raise awareness of research security issues, Public Safety’s Research Security Centre offers Safeguarding Science, a 90-minute workshop that focuses on: best practices in maintaining a security-conscious research organization; research security guidance and tools to help recognize and mitigate risks to Canadian researchers and institutions; and understanding of sensitive technology and how to recognize dual-use technology.

This workshop is offered both virtually and in-person and is recommended as an introduction to the topic of research security.  Additional modules offering a deeper dive into research security-related topics are also available.

Research Security Training Courses

The Government of Canada has developed three publicly available Research Security Training Courses to better equip Canadian researchers with the knowledge and resources to protect their research. To enroll in these courses, sign-up to ISED Learning platform using one of our secure access option.  The GCKey option is available to any user, Canadian or international.  Each course has a duration of approximately 30 to 40 minutes. 

1. Introduction to Research Security
2. Cyber Security for Researchers
3. Safeguarding Research Partnerships with Open Source Due Diligence

Case Studies

Learn how a breach in the security of your research could affect you, your institution, and future prospects with these Case Studies developed in collaboration with academia.

Resources

Tri-Agency Guidance on Research Security
Tri-Agency Guidance on the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships
Tri-Agency Guidance on the Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern
CFI Guidance on Research Security
Mitacs Guidance on Research Security
National Research Council Guidance on Research Security

Information taken from the Government of Canda’s Research Security site.