The National Security Institute (NSI) was founded in 1985 by Stephen Burns and David Marston, two leading-edge security practitioners experienced with both government and corporate security environments. David and Steve were responsible for designing key programs that protected some of the nation’s most sensitive technology and business secrets.
The National Security Institute quickly became the leading organization dedicated to assisting cleared defense contractors in understanding the threats to national security and in training the average employee to keep sensitive information and proprietary data safe from outside and inside threats.
The world has changed a great deal since 1985 and so has the National Security Institute. While NSI maintains its respected flagship information services for government and defense contractor security executives, our employee security awareness programs are now widely used by America’s top corporations of all sizes and across all industries.
Born out of years of developing best practices that persuade the average employee to take security seriously, these continuous, enterprise-wide cybersecurity awareness programs are helping companies of all sizes and industries avoid costly security breaches.
NSI continues to evolve and develop solutions to support corporate and government security professionals everywhere.
NSI Timeline
With over 500 customers, NSI’s roots in protecting the nation’s defense technologies from corporate and nationstate espionage has evolved into enterprise-wide services that help all industries reduce the risk that cybercriminals will be able to exploit the average employee
President & co-founder
Stephen S. Burns
Stephen S. Burns is co-founder and President of the National Security Institute. Mr. Burns has more than 40 years of experience designing government and corporate security programs that protect some of the nation’s most sensitive technology and business secrets.
Since 1985 he has been a primary architect in the development of NSI’s awareness programs and seminars. Before co-founding NSI, Mr. Burns spent 15 years in the defense industry at GTE Government Systems Corp. where he was responsible for managing Communication Security, Special Access Programs, and all aspects of the company’s industrial security program. Prior that that, he served in the United States Marine Corps in intelligence and security. Mr. Burns is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University and holds a B.S. degree in Management.
Chairman & co-founder
David A. Marston
David A. Marston is co-founder and Chairman of the Board of the National Security Institute. Since its inception, Mr. Marston has served in a variety of marketing, financial, and editorial capacities at NSI and is responsible for creating many of its core product lines.
He has also acquired extensive security related experience in both government and the private sector through his affiliation with GTE Government Systems Corp. where he managed classified government security programs. He also served as an intelligence analyst while on active duty with the U.S. Air Force. Prior to his involvement in the security and publishing arenas, Mr. Marston was employed as a business analyst for Dun & Bradstreet in Boston, MA. He is a graduate of Bentley University and holds a B.S. degree in Business Management.