Friday, June 19, 11:15 am – 12:15 pm
National Cybersecurity Consortium 2026 Conference
BRIDGING SECTORS
SECURING CANADA
Panel: Cybersecurity Risks — and Defenses — in Canadian Space Systems
Space-based systems now underpin critical Canadian operations (e.g. Arctic patrols, secure international military communications) making them essential digital infrastructure with unique cybersecurity challenges. This panel explores how vulnerabilities in satellite signals, control software, and space-derived services intersect with risks on Earth, especially in military, public safety, and remote operations. Panelists will examine what securing these cyberphysical systems demands in terms of research, resilience, interoperability, and Canada’s future capability planning.
BGen (Ret’d) Mazzolin currently serves as the Space, Cyber, Defence, Security and Technology Strategist for the RHEA/Starion/Nexova companies, space and cyber system engineering companies that advise and deliver secure solutions to large enterprises, governments and institutions in Europe, Canada and other parts of the globe. He also serves as a Senior Fellow with the Centre for International Governance Innovation.
Notable appointments include serving as the Vice Director of Strategic Plans and Policy at United States Cyber Command at the National Security Agency, the Director General Information Management Operations responsible for all CAF and DND strategic network, signals intelligence, electronic warfare and cyber operations, Commander of the Canadian Forces Information Operations Group, and Director Land Command Systems Program Management responsible for the Canadian Army C4ISR engineering and acquisition programme during Afghanistan operations. He served in a variety of other Command and Staff roles and was one of the Canadian Forces leading experts in Communications and Information systems, Signals Intelligence, Network Operations and Electronic Warfare.
MArc Kneppers is the owner of Goldenrod Consulting, a boutique cybersecurity firm. With a Master of Science in Astronomy and a Master of Data Science & Analytics, he has built a career in Internet, IT, and security spanning nearly three decades.
MArc spent 23 years at TELUS, starting by designing and operating its early Internet services before growing into the role of Chief Security Architect — responsible for security architecture and strategy across the company and reporting directly to the executive team. Along the way, he secured networks across Internet, mobility (3G/4G/5G), and enterprise computing in addition to editing the current cybersecurity best practices for Canada’s telecommunications industry and contributing to international security standards.
Today, MArc advises small businesses on cybersecurity through Goldenrod Consulting. Partnering with DISC, an Ottawa-based space cyber-security firm, MArc has spent the last 3 years focusing on satellite cybersecurity serving both the Canadian and European space markets.
Holding close to 30 years in aerospace system engineering, including 10 years in product security, Mr. Eric Manseau has developed key experience in developing product security roadmap and to develop security awareness in early stage of the design. Mr. Eric Manseau is currently working to achieve a graduate degree in Artificial Intelligence from University of Ottawa which will bring key knowledge and expertise in product security but also applying a secure design to the AI system component proposed in the project.