VUB's Cyber and Data Security Lab (VUB-CDSL) aims to explore the legal aspects of cybersecurity, information security, data protection, and privacy. It is part of VUB's internationally renowned Research Group on Law, Science, Technology & Society (LSTS) at the Faculty of Law and Criminology of the Free University of Brussels (Vrije Universiteit Brussel - VUB). As per its mission statement, CDSL aims to further knowledge, promote awareness, and foster new ideas within the legal framework on cybersecurity, information security, data protection, and privacy both globally and within the EU. To this end it carries out funded research, assumes advisory roles, publishes its findings and encourages international dialogue within its fields of expertise.
Recent news
EU Cybersecurity Law and Policy in 2025: Year-in-Review report
CDSL has published its "EU Cybersecurity Law and Policy in 2025: Year-in-Review" report. The report is part of our SSRN Research Paper series (and is therefore open access!), and includes our take on legal and policy developments that took place in the cybersecurity field during 2025.
New paper: From professional fact-checkers to the crowd: can Meta’s Community Notes survive the Digital Services Act (DSA)?
CDSL's Afroditi Papathanasopoulou published a new paper on "From professional fact-checkers to the crowd: can Meta’s Community Notes survive the Digital Services Act (DSA)?" in the Information & Communications Technology Law journal.
Our start-of-the-academic-year Plenary Meeting
CDSL had its start-of-the-academic-year kick-off meeting today, which, in its third annual iteration, is becoming a tradition - and an invaluable opportunity to meet in person researchers who work from far away...
Upcoming events
Practical info23/05/2025 - 08:45 - 23/05/2025 - 10:00The “Encryption Challenge” faced by LEAs in Criminal Investigations
In this year's panel of CDSL in CPDP2025 we will be discussing "The “Encryption Challenge” faced by LEAs in Criminal Investigations":
Practical info18/03/2025 - 15:00 - 18/03/2025 - 17:00Focus Group discussion: The responsibility of states to protect democratic processes from online Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)
CDSL is partner in the EU-funded project RESONANT
Practical info18/12/2024 - 16:00 - 18/12/2024 - 18:0018 December: Exploring GDPR’s Present and Future Challenges
