Canada Launches Small Business Cybersecurity Certification Program

Canada has launched a cybersecurity certification program to try and get small to midsize enterprises (SMEs) up to speed with a basic level of protection.

Launched at the University of New Brunswick's Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity by Minister of Finance Bill Morneau, CyberSecure Canada is a voluntary program that will help small organizations achieve a minimum required level of cybersecurity, according to the government.

The initiative requires Canadian SMEs to stick to a baseline set of cybersecurity controls developed by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. These controls include establishing an incident response plan, regularly patching operating systems and applications, using security software and securely configuring devices. Other measures in the list include using strong user authentication, offering employee awareness training and backing up and encrypting data.

Those passing the certification can display a mark showing that they have demonstrated compliance with the controls. Those businesses will also be listed on the program's website.

The Canadian government uses six certification bodies to check that companies have implemented the controls properly: Cyber Security Canada, Bell Canada, Bulletproof Solutions, Siemens, SourcetekIT, and WatSec. If businesses are using products and services from th ..

Support the originator by clicking the read the rest link below.