Survey: A third of Canadian businesses have leaked data to cyber thieves

A recent survey conducted by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) found that cybersecurity awareness is an issue many businesses still have trouble with.

CIRA’s “2018 Canadian Internet Security Survey,” which surveyed nearly 2,000 businesses and institutions with “.CA” registrations, found that 32% of the respondents said their users have unintentionally disclosed sensitive information due to phishing tactics.

The report also found that 77% of small business domain owners report being concerned or very concerned about being the target of a cyberattack.

Other relevant findings of the report include:

• In the last year, 19% of companies report being hit by ransomware.
• 22% of large organizations have been victimized by a DDoS attack in the past 12 months.
• 36% of individual domain holders said they spent nothing on cybersecurity protection in 2017.

“The cybersecurity threat landscape in Canada is complex and rapidly evolving. Our data shows that cybersecurity is no longer just a corporate IT problem, it impacts a wide spectrum of Canadian internet users,” commented CIRA vice-president of product development Dave Chiswell.

“We believe the foundation of a better online Canada is ensuring a safe and secure internet,” CIRA chief technology officer Jacques Latour said in a statement. “CIRA plays a role in ensuring that Canadian internet users have the tools and infrastructure in place to protect themselves, their businesses, and their families online.”