Some of the top cyber security officials in Canada held an awareness and education forum in Fredericton aimed at ensuring local companies understand what can happen if they aren’t protected against cybercrime.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the International Cyber Security Protection Alliance, CyberNB, Small-Medium Business and Cyber Health Check Workshops collaborated on the forum which brought in about 50 attendees.
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“If they’re not educated and aware they could face reputation damage, financial damage,” explained Ken Taylor, president of ICSPA . “They could actually collapse from an inability to deliver their services.”
They report that seven out of 10 Canadian businesses experience some form of cyber loss each year with the majority of those sometimes unaware the crime has even taken place.
Breaches in their cybersecurity can mean hackers are gaining access to personal records of more than just the companies being attacked.
Employee information such as social insurance numbers and salary are in jeopardy as well.
Experts warn the landscape has changed and it’s no longer just big businesses that require protection.
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“Initially it was the large governments and enterprises that were being fundamentally attacked at all hours of the day,” Taylor said. “Now what’s happening is a shift … and that shift is targeting those organizations that do not have the infrastructure, the human resources, the financial resources to combat that attack.”
“New Brunswick is leading the way,” said CyberNB managing director Allen Dillion.
As cyber attacks become more common the need for protective services rises along with it.
The New Brunswick government has said the cybersecurity sector is one they plan to invest heavily in, which is something the Chamber of Commerce sees as a win-win.
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“Cyber protection is an industry of its own and it’s one that is growing,” said Krista Ross, Fredericton Chamber of Commerce CEO. “We are perfectly poised in New Brunswick being smart cities in a smart province that is I.T. focused.”