October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Last week, the Province kicked off Cybersecurity Awareness Month with this year’s campaign Crack the Code: Cyber Mode! The month is intended to raise awareness about the importance of being diligent when it comes to protecting your online data and staying cyber safe.  

The Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery hosted a symposium on October 9, Securing Ontario’s Digital Future, an in-person and virtual cyber security event for students and cyber professionals from academia and the broader public sector, including municipalities. The event served as a learning and networking opportunity showcasing how Ontario is strengthening cyber resiliency to better protect our personal data from cyber security threats, as well as deepen knowledge of the current cyber security landscape through presentations and discussions with experts. 

Throughout the month, various resources are being released by Ontario’s Cyber Security Centre of Excellence, including: 

 Upcoming CAM events: 

Participants are invited to engage in a detective themed adventure that will challenge them to level-up their cyber security skills. To access these resources, register for the Cyber Security Learning Portal, which provides an interactive online learning environment to advance cyber security capabilities for you and your organization. The portal has a knowledge library, learning modules, videos, games and more. 

As the Ontario legislature resumes next week, so will debate and discussion of Bill 194, Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act, 2024. Given the impact of cybersecurity, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) on society, we continue to call on the Province to further support municipalities in improving digital governance. Municipalities require tools and guidance to manage risk, security, and other impacts of technology on service delivery, particularly municipal election administration and protection of privacy programming.