Author: Stuart Crawford

As in so many areas, Canada is now pushing to make the online world a more equitable one. It also wants Canadians to have their privacy online instead of having their information sold by whoever can get ahold of it. The use of the data that companies do collect about you is now being regulated by the expanded Canadian Digital Charter. Here’s how it seeks to create a better experience for Canadians.

Technology in Canadian Ecommerce

Using up-to-date technology is increasingly a part of daily life, and innovators who don’t have it will be left behind by those who do. Canada’s Digital Charter is a way to protect Canadians from some of the ways their data could be used as well as to make it easier for everyone in the country to have internet access. E-commerce is a larger and larger portion of the economy all over the Western world, and Canada would fall behind this march to the future if Canadians had trouble getting online and feared for their very privacy if they were to do so.

Canadian Access to Internet Connectivity

With so much of the world now online, keeping Canadians able to connect is a key factor in keeping them competitive. Part of the Canadian Digital Charter is to give universal access to all Canadians, no matter where they live or how much they know about computer use. The charter seeks to ensure that every Canadian is not only offered connectivity but is given the computer literacy they need to be able to use one. In addition, the charter rolls out a new standard for safety online. With so many new internet users about to join the online sphere, the government is focused on making sure they don’t get taken advantage of, threatened or targeted with scams. To help create a better atmosphere of safety, the government plans to put multiple laws in place to deliver punishments for breaking cyber-safety laws.

Data Privacy Compliance in Canada

The charter further calls for every online user in Canada to have their privacy protected by the sites they use. If a company wants to use their personal data for any reason, the internet user should know exactly what it will be used for and must consent to share it for that purpose. In addition, Canadians are declared to be free to see their own personal data as well as to move it or share it easily. Websites that have Canadian visitors must comply with these privacy laws in order to stay compliant and available to online users in Canada. Clear, open disclosure of data collection, usage and storage will be needed to maintain that compliance.

Free Speech Online for Canada

As in most countries, free speech is not an absolute right in Canada. The charter spells out the kind of speech that Canadians shouldn’t have to come across online. These include hate speech, threats, extreme views advocating violence and content that is otherwise illegal. The government also seeks to keep false news stories away from readers who may not realize that what they’re reading isn’t factual. Keeping Canadians safe from these problems is considered a right that Canadians have in order to create a better online experience and to encourage more people to use the internet to make their lives easier.

With this charter, Canada is expected to become more competitive on a global scale. Unburdened by false news stories and hate speech, the government hopes that the online atmosphere will be more conducive to Canadian innovation.

Cybersecurity incorporates a number of technologies to safeguard digital data. Threats come from unauthorized access and internal missteps lead to increased risks that hackers take advantage of. Healthcare is increasingly the target of cybercriminals as bad actors learn how to successfully target unguarded or insufficiently guarded data. This includes data sharing, digital health records and medical devices that send data to hospital systems without protecting the data in transit.

Health informatics makes the process more efficient. The threat of cyber attacks makes technology less reliable than it would otherwise be. At the same time, healthcare professionals rely on technology to retrieve, send and share healthcare data. Due to various cyber threats, every organization needs to invest in solutions that keep data secure without compromising access to technology for those fighting to save lives.

How Has the Digital Revolution Changed Healthcare?

Not too long ago, doctors had to limit their time with patients due to a mountain of complicated paperwork. The digital revolution has helped solve that problem. With fewer handwritten notes and more direct entry into electronic patient files, paperwork and the amount of time devoted to it have decreased dramatically.

This is a crucial advancement as the global population soars and the number of healthcare data becomes more difficult to secure. Cybersecurity in healthcare needs to secure the network and database without slowing down the process of providing efficient care.

Does Cybersecurity in Healthcare Save Money?

Cybersecurity saves millions of dollars in the healthcare industry. The industry has grown rapidly in the last two decades. Now, healthcare providers deal with many more patients in an 8-hour shift than they used to in a 12-hour one. This is largely due to the reduced paper trail made possible by digital technology.

With cloud-based computing, providers can share information with patients, colleagues and other departments in seconds. At the same time, safely storing and accessing patient data is also much easier.

How Important Is Cybersecurity to Patients?

Patients have the biggest stake in cybersecurity. After all, it’s their data and privacy that are at risk — and possibly their health. Hackers leak private information on the dark web, where it may be picked up to commit identity theft, Medicare fraud, and other crimes. Advanced cybersecurity allows medical professionals to ensure privacy and peace of mind for their patients. This also prevents legal issues related to hacked patient data.

Healthcare practices are at a disadvantage due to the many endpoints in the system, including the Internet of Things (IoT) devices that feed data into the network from various endpoints. Specifically, tablets introduce vulnerability because they hold patient health records or are used to access them. No matter how much administrators shore up the network, it only takes one outdated device to open the healthcare provider up to an attack.

What’s the Cost of Leaked Patient Data?

Healthcare providers need to protect their practice as well as those they serve. This requires robust cybersecurity that prevents the leaking of patient data. When information is leaked, legal costs can skyrocket and even bankrupt a practice or provider.

What Improvements Need to Be Made?

Healthcare organizations can take the following steps to secure their data:

• Patch systems based on the recommendations of system and application vendors
• Open only required ports
• Scan systems to identify vulnerabilities
• Prioritize system vulnerabilities based on risk severity
• Enable SSL certificates and test to ensure they’re working as expected

While some might assume that fear of an economic recession would be at the top of the list of key issues CEOs concern themselves with, a recent survey found that another issue is of much greater concern: Cybersecurity.

This is no surprise.

For the past several years, cybercrimes and data breaches among companies large and small, governments, and even individual citizens have risen drastically. While it’s true that many CEOs still assume a data breach at their own company is highly unlikely, with the ultimate price tag of such attacks ramping up to the millions of dollars (and recovery being hardly successful), it makes sense that CEOs are taking notice.

What Does a More Concentrated Focus on Cybersecurity Mean for Companies?

Corporate chiefs and C-suites who are most concerned with cybersecurity are naturally becoming more involved in their companies’ defense strategies. After all, a breach of data isn’t just about the loss of money. It can also mean the loss of a job for a CEO or C-suite member and a permanent label as someone who can’t secure their company.

Furthermore, even if a breach doesn’t cost a corporate leader their job, customers, clients, and investors are sure to drop their interest in a company that’s lost data, money, and trustworthiness after a cyberattack. Large companies like Yahoo, Target, Equifax, and others have all felt the blow of such fallout.

How Do Most Cyber Attacks Originate?

When most people think of a cyberattack, images of an ultra-sophisticated Russian hacker sitting in a darkened basement with glowing green and blue lights comes to mind. However, cyberattacks can come from anywhere and from anyone. They may be performed on public computers, from office buildings, at public Wi-Fi cafes, from residential homes, or even in airports.

Your own cyber attacker could be coming from across the world … or down the street. Once you find out that your company’s data’s been compromised … it may not really matter anyway.

Because of their cloak and dagger way of operating, cyber attackers and criminals are rarely located and seldom caught or prosecuted. Part of being a cybercriminal, after all, means knowing how to confuse and reroute IP addresses through a multitude of countries. This makes retracing the invader’s steps a serious challenge — even for the most advanced IT specialists.

Therefore, the key to avoiding such attacks is, of course, to prevent them in the first place. This is the goal of an increasing number of savvy CEOs. It means putting cybersecurity first and foremost on their priority list and recruiting the help of highly-educated and trained information technology specialists.

How Can CEOs Prevent Cyberattacks in Their Companies?

The key to preventing cyberattacks is knowing how they start in the first place — and remember, it’s not where most people would think.

Again, many people assume that cybercriminals work by being absolutely amazing at breaking into super-advanced and complicated security systems. But nearly all mid- and large-sized companies have advanced security systems, and they still get hacked. Assuming that cybercriminals can simply break into these systems is giving them too much credit. Instead, most cybercriminals gain access much in the way vampires are said to gain access to their victims: Essentially, by being invited.

While lore claims that vampires must be invited into a home before they can step foot inside, cybercriminals also work their magic by essentially being given access to sensitive data by unknowing company employees — or even CEOs and other upper management members themselves.

It’s called phishing, and it’s the number one way cyber attackers gain security access to companies’, organizations’, governments’, and individuals’ data.

What Is Phishing and How Can You Prevent It?

Phishing generally takes place via email. The target receives a fraudulent email that claims to be from someone the target trusts, like the institution they bank at, human resources at their company, or upper management.

Somewhere in the email, the target is asked to send sensitive information for a “security check” or similar. Alternatively, they may be asked to “click here” for more information or to receive a coupon special, for example.

This is all with the goal of getting the target to do something that will allow malware onto their computer. Once this happens, the hacker who sent the phishing email will be able to steal, ransom, or corrupt sensitive company data.

The best — and in some ways, the only — way to combat phishing is to adequately train your employees and entire staff. You’ll need to teach them to:

• Be suspicious of any unanticipated or surprising emails — especially those that ask the recipient to take certain steps
• Double check email addresses for authenticity
• Double check web addresses for authenticity
• Be wary of threatening or enticing language
• Never click on unsolicited links or attachments sent to them

If you are a CEO or C-suite member who’s concerned about the cybersecurity of your company in 2019, you’re on the right track. While the growth of your business and the frightening possibility of a recession are surely important to you as well, everything can be lost in an instant if your company is attacked by a cybercriminal. Taking steps now to better train your employees and enlist the right cybersecurity professionals to protect your business is wise and responsible.

Organizations across the country are learning from cyber attacks perpetrated in Atlanta, Newark, and Sarasota. Similarly, large targets such as San Francisco’s transit authority and Cleveland’s airport have also been targeted. The growing threat from ransomware, which locks up the victim’s device and files, is hard to track down to the source. Fortunately, many attacks are preventable with the right training and compliance with company policies.

Where to Focus Cyber Hygiene Efforts?

Cyber hygiene involves putting processes into place to make it more difficult for hackers to attack your network. First, use two-factor authentication. Also known as dual-factor authentication, this creates an additional layer of security since it requires two proofs of identity. The most common method includes both a password and a one-time code texted to the user. Individual users should also back up data offline using an external hard drive or another device.

Internal firewalls deter malicious actors attempting to access your computer. When suspicious activity is detected, the suspect device is locked and denied access to the rest of the system. It’s similar to quarantining sick people to protect healthy ones.

Require staff members to regularly update passwords since cybercriminals can sometimes buy stolen passwords through the dark web. Take special precautions for remote access, which creates unique vulnerabilities. Make sure that your IT team has a process for detecting and eradicating threats associated with remote access to the company’s network and data.

How Can Staff Members Reliably Detect Phishing Emails?

Most ransomware attacks begin with what’s known as a phishing email. The hacker tries to get users to open attachments or links — which install ransomware on the computer. Here are a few tips on identifying phishing emails:

• Strange word choices
• Odd links
• Misspelled words
• Weird attachments, especially .exe or .zip files

If an odd-looking email seems to be coming from a friend, verify its validity before opening the email.

How Does Updating Your Software Help Prevent Infection?

Hackers exploit vulnerabilities in software, and patches are released to fix them. When your computer prompts you to update the software, do it.

What’s the Best Way to Stay Prepared?

According to a recent 60 minutes episode, hackers shut down systems at a hospital in Indiana. The hospital had to pay a $55,000 ransom to unfreeze its systems. Other organizations should learn from this experience and establish a robust security protocol.

How You Can Prevent Astonishing Impacts of Scareware?

Anti-malware programs cannot scan your PC without permission. No reputable company sends you scary emails or pop-ups as a marketing ploy. These messages are scams and are commonly referred to as scareware. They may even introduce infectious viruses on your computer. Avoid opening emails from senders you aren’t familiar with. Never give your computer credentials, personal information or credit card information to these bad actors.

There are things you can do to avoid scareware threats. First, avoid programs that pester you to register your device or buy software to clean up your computer. You could end up paying to clean up your working computer. Even worse, you could end up giving unknown cybercriminals access to your personal information. When you want to purchase malware protection, go directly to a reputable provider. Many companies offer free software to scan your system from their home page.

What are the Dangers Associated with Bundled Software?

Sometimes, when you download software, you get a prompt asking if you wish to download toolbars or change the home page of your browser. Don’t do it. Even though this is becoming common with legitimate software, it puts your system at risk. Known as “crapware,” these extras are often harmless and may even be quite helpful. However, there are times when adding these components open you up to cyber theft. It can also display annoying pop-ups and impact your computer’s performance.

You can avoid these attempts to bundle software. Extra apps that companies sneak onto your device aren’t always malware initiatives. They are, however, very annoying. Your computer can become so bogged down it’s practically inoperable. If you download the latest version of software such as Adobe Flash, reach every screen during the installation. Uncheck all boxes regarding additional toolbars.

Cybercriminals lock victims out of computer and network files – sometimes destroying data – and extort cash to get that data back. That’s a ransomware attack, costing businesses billions worldwide.

Ransomware can spread by the simplest of user actions. Email phishing, or Business Email Compromise (BEC) – fraudulent and deceptive emails posing as legitimate messages – is perhaps the most common propagation method. Social media clickbait, particularly using fake accounts masquerading as friends or colleagues, is common also. Simply visiting an infected website can corrupt your system, even if the user doesn’t click anything on the web page.

How common is ransomware? There’s bad news and good news. The bad news: attacks are extremely common, with thousands of organizations being probed every day. The good news: savvy IT professionals are fending off attacks, so infections are still comparatively rare. However, attacks are on the rise and cybercriminals are growing more sophisticated.

Ransomware attacks are hitting businesses of all sizes, from a few employees to enterprise corporations. Individuals get infected also, especially those without good antivirus protection. Government agencies and health care organizations have become prime targets.

Data Loss and Financial Risk

Ransomware encrypts computer files and network drives, then demands a ransom in exchange for a decryption key. Most victims end up paying the ransom. Ransomware can be difficult, if not impossible, to crack, and paying the ransom can be the only way to get data back.

Costs of recovery can be enormous. The ransom itself can run from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, even approaching $1 million dollars. The real cost of recovery runs easily into the millions. FedEx reported losses of more than $300 million before operations were fully restored. The total cost to US business is estimated at $75 billion or more per year, with downtime costing around $8,500 per hour.

Cybercriminals typically demand payment in Bitcoin. Cryptocurrency affords substantial anonymity, making it nearly impossible to track perpetrators. Even if they could be identified, cybercriminals often work over international borders. Jurisdiction issues makes prosecution almost impossible.

Preventing Ransomware

Ransomware protection is a complex endeavor involving technology, education and best practices. You need the right tools – the right information – and the right business processes.

Key steps to protect your data include:

• Maintain up-to-date antivirus/malware protection, especially on email. Do your research for best programs, including buyer reviews on popular online retail sites.
• Perform regular external backups, and quarantine them from your network as soon as they’re completed. Keep archival history as much as possible.
• Train employees. Malware is most often spread by human behavior, e.g. clicking an email phishing link or social media clickbait. Proper training can minimize risk by educating staff about the risk of suspicious links.
• Maintain strong firewall protection to minimize the risk of a single infected machine spreading malware into your network.
• Keep all enterprise software updated with the latest releases and patches. Software firms are constantly improving security, and outdated software is riskier.
• Administer IT user permission security so employees have access only to the software and functionality required for their job roles.
• Disable macro scripts on files shared via email – an important component of training.

Along with preventative measures, create a contingency plan. If you are hit with ransomware, you’ll be better prepared to cope if you have plans in place to continue operations and speed up recovery.

Setting up a cryptocurrency wallet should be part of the contingency plan. If your business is hit – and you decide to pay the ransom – you’ll be able to pay much sooner if you already have this in place.

See these resources for more detail on what you can do to protect your business.

• FBI Cyber Crime Investigations
• FBI Business Email Compromise (BEC) Information

What to Do If Infected

More than half of targets don’t report ransomware attacks, according to FBI estimates. This is likely driven by concerns over bad publicity. Financial and business process recovery is bad enough without adding in a PR nightmare.

However, it’s critical to notify the FBI if your systems are infected. The FBI is the lead federal agency for cybercrime. Their investigative and technology capabilities are state-of-the-art, and no one is better equipped to help you understand your options and recover your data.

The FBI suggests that you do not pay the ransom. The decision is up to your company leadership, and it’s true that most victims do pay. In many cases, the cost of paying the ransom is far less than the potential losses from operational downtime.

Ransomware removal often involves wiping systems clean and restoring uninfected files from backups. It’s a delicate business best left to a professional cybersecurity company.

It Can Happen to Your Business

Ransomware and cybercrime are on the rise. Costs to businesses are going up.

Education and preparation are the best defenses against cybercrime. Responsible management needs to be proactive. Threats are real, cybercriminals are serious, and today’s IT professionals are armed with the tools and the knowledge to keep their companies safe.

Every business should have a comprehensive cybersecurity plan and a competent team that can execute that plan. Otherwise, cybercriminals and malicious actors can and most likely will take advantage of security vulnerabilities to access company data and cause damage. But as important as it is to have skilled IT professionals looking out for your business, it is equally important to educate yourself in the basics of cybersecurity so that you can avoid compromising your valuable information accidentally.

The following list of cybersecurity terms is one that every business owner, manager, executive and other professional should be aware of. The more you understand the basics of cybersecurity, the better equipped you will be to protect your valuable business data and personal information moving forward.

9 Cybersecurity Terms Every Business Professional Should Know

1. Malware

From the time the average family had a personal computer in the house, most people had heard of computer viruses. Today, it is still common for many people to think of all types of attacks to computer systems and networks as viruses. In truth, a virus is only one type of attack that you need to be aware of. There are many other types of attacks, which along with viruses, fall under the umbrella of malware. Anything that is made to access your network or data—or cause damage to your network or data—is referred to as malware.

2. Phishing

Like the common term it comes from, phishing can be thought of as throwing out attractive bait in hopes that someone will bite and give up their valuable information. Phishing involves making a website or application that looks just like a site or app that people trust. You might get an email from Google or the IRS that looks legitimate. It could claim that the company needs you to update your information or your password and then take that info and give it to a cybercriminal.

3. Antivirus

An antivirus program is just like it sounds—a program for fighting computer viruses. What it is not is a program that will handle all of your cybersecurity needs. It will search for common viruses and eliminate those viruses, but it will not necessarily protect against other types of malware. Your antivirus can only scan the drives it has access to, and can only identify viruses that have already been identified by the company that makes the program.

4. Social Engineering

Social engineering refers to deceiving people instead of computers. While creating malware requires focusing on technical aspects, social engineering focuses on ways to manipulate people into doing what you want them to do. The scams where people ask you to cash checks on their behalf and send them the money because they are out of the country are an example of social engineering.

5. Ransomware

A common type of malware being put out by cybercriminals is known as ransomware. Ransomware takes some of your sensitive data and encrypts it so you cannot access it. The cybercriminal then demands a ransom for you to get access to your data. All of the cybersecurity terms you see that end with ware are types of malware.

6. Zero-Day Attacks

One of the biggest weaknesses of antivirus programs or other anti-malware programs is that they can only detect and protect against malware that has already been identified. Cybersecurity experts are constantly on the lookout for new malware, but they are not able to catch every piece of malware before it compromises systems and networks. There are always holes in the protective layers offered by cybersecurity teams. When a piece of malware compromises a hole, or vulnerability, in standardized security layers, it is known as a zero-day attack.

7. Redundant Data

While cybersecurity experts and your IT team are always striving to protect your system and network from attacks, sometimes your data can still become compromised—like with a zero-day attack. The reality of cybersecurity is that there is always the possibility of compromise, which is why backing up your data is a necessity. Not only does backing up your data protect against cybersecurity threats, but it also protects against equipment failures.

A quality backup will be quarantined in a facility that is not in the same location as your business.

8. Patch

A patch is what software developers send out when they discover a gap in the security of their programs. You should download available patches regularly to ensure optimal protection.

9. Intrusion Protection System (IPS)

An IPS is placed between your firewall and your system to identify intrusions and stop them before they cause damage.

For more information about cybersecurity for your business, please contact our team.

Technology is rapidly entering all areas of commerce, banking and society due to increased digital communications both in person and online. Much of the business that Canadians do every day is assisted by technology including shopping for groceries, promoting a brand and socializing with friends and family. “Data is a resource that companies use to be more productive and to be more productive and to develop better products and services, unleashing a digital revolution around the world.” according to the Canadian Digital Charter website. Due to this expansion of data access worldwide, Canada has set up the Canadian Digital Charter (CDC) to ensure that “privacy is protected, data will not be misused, and companies operating in this space communicated in a simple and straightforward manner with their users.” The goal is to inspire trust in the government and businesses who handle private data.

Canada’s Digital Charter is Built on Ten Principles

The CDC was developed after the government conducted numerous conversations and surveys with Canadians from all walks of life. These discussions emphasized specific issues that Canadians were interested in and worried about. The result were the following ten principles that form the foundation of the CDC.

1. Universal Access:

All Canadians will have equal opportunity to participate in the digital world and the necessary tools to do so, including access, connectivity, literacy and skills.

2. Safety and Security:

Canadians will be able to rely on the integrity, authenticity and security of the services they use and should feel safe online.

3. Control and Consent:

Canadians will have control over what data they are sharing, who is using their personal data and for what purposes, and know that their privacy is protected.

4. Transparency, Portability and Interoperability:

Canadians will have clear and manageable access to their personal data and should be free to share or transfer it without undue burden.

5. Open and Modern Digital Government:

Canadians will be able to access modern digital services from the Government of Canada, which are secure and simple to use.

6. A Level Playing Field:

The Government of Canada will ensure fair competition in the online marketplace to facilitate the growth of Canadian businesses and affirm Canada’s leadership on digital and data innovation, while protecting Canadian consumers from market abuses.

7. Data and Digital for Good:

The Government of Canada will ensure the ethical use of data to create value, promote openness and improve the lives of people—at home and around the world.

8. Strong Democracy:

The Government of Canada will defend freedom of expression and protect against online threats and disinformation designed to undermine the integrity of elections and democratic institutions.

9. Free from Hate and Violent Extremism:

Canadians can expect that digital platforms will not foster or disseminate hate, violent extremism or criminal content.

10. Strong Enforcement and Real Accountability:

There will be clear, meaningful penalties for violations of the laws and regulations that support these principles.

Digital Technology’s Impact on Canada

The ten principles listed above clearly display the Canadian Government’s vision of integrating ethics and law with digital access. In the discussions with Canadians that led to the CDC, three main issues came to the forefront.

A. How Can Canada Prepare for the Technology of the Future?

Canadians are concerned whether they will be trained for skills needed in the technology of the future. Examples of these are digital skills, including knowledge of coding, data analytics, AI, and machine learning as well as future technologies that have not yet been developed. Although not all careers require a special knowledge of technology,

Canada must instill comprehensive digital literacy and exposure to STEM skills from a young age, particularly for under-represented groups including women, Indigenous people, and people with disabilities. To build digital resilience, Canada must take a multidisciplinary approach to skills development and training that encourages a life-long learning mentality.

Other key issues include retraining workers to build skills that relate to STEM fields, and opening access to training in non-traditional formats including flexible, cost-effective options for attaining new skills in short time frames.

B. How Will Canada Support Growth of Competitive Canadian Companies?

In order for Canadian companies to be competitive on a global scale, they need to “adapt their traditional approaches, and identify, adopt and implement digital and data-driven technologies.” There are several issues that are obstacles to this type of growth including most notably affordability, access for remote, rural and Indigenous communities. Canada ranks among the most expensive countries in the G7 for many telecommunication services including mobile wireless and Internet.¹ Other obstacles include awareness of how technology can improve and scale business in traditional sectors, and that technology implementation isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” solution. Recognition of the need for individual, personalized implementation is crucial to moving forward.

C. How Can Canada Be a Leader in the Digital Age Regarding Privacy and Trust?

The digital age has ushered in the usage of an explosion of data “helping to fuel innovations like AI, machine learning, and the Internet of things, however, the rapid acceleration of data being created, and its use as a commodity means Canada must re-evaluate the frameworks it has in place.” While laws such as the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) help to keep personal data private, there needs to be an ongoing effort to keep frameworks transparent and private data protected against hacking and other data breaches.

Trust and privacy of personal data is a key element in any future growth of technology in Canada.

The issue is complex with important questions around data access, ownership, use, and the consent and controls available to both citizens and providers. . . Canada has a mature regulatory environment, however with the growing complexity of vast amounts of data flows, privacy, and cross-border markets, many Canadian companies, in particular SMEs, expressed difficulty understanding how best to comply with existing data and privacy legislation and the corresponding regulations.

To continue to protect privacy, Canada needs to modernize PIPEDA and continue to offer effective and clear guidance on privacy issues, and at the same time effectively enforce any players appropriately to build trust with Canadians.