Why cyber certification matters – Visual summary

CyberSecure Visual Summary

1. Why cyber certification matters
   • Globally, cyber attacks increased during the pandemic by 300%.^{Footnote 1} Attacks are pervasive and damaging to economic and social systems.
   • In 2021, 25% of businesses experienced cyber attacks.^{Footnote 2}
   • Small and medium-sized businesses (SMOs) are less equipped to handle an attack. 47% of smaller businesses have no plans to invest in  cybersecurity.^{Footnote 3}
   • In 2021, 41% of small businesses that suffered a cyber attack reported that it cost them at least $100,000, a 4% increase in the number of businesses from 2019. Fewer than half of the businesses surveyed (46%) said they have implemented defences against possible cyber attacks.^{Footnote 3}
2. About the program
   • CyberSecure Canada is Canada's cyber certification program and a collaboration between Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).
   • CyberSecure Canada aims to:
     • raise cyber security standards among SMOs;
     • increase consumer confidence when conducting business online;
     • better position SMOs to compete globally.
3. What to do to reduce risk
   • Take ISED's eLearning series, designed to educate SMOs about cyber security and prepare them to obtain certification
   • Implement CyberSecure Canada security baseline controls
   • Get certified with CyberSecure Canada.
   • Programs such as the Canadian Digital Adoption Program offer financial assistance for certification
   •  Contact us for information about other program supports – Cyber Secure Canada / Cyber Sécuritaire Canada (IC), cybersecurecanada-cybersecuritairecanada@ised-isde.gc.ca