A new report from Statistics Canada (StatCan) has found that 18% of Canadian businesses were impacted by cybersecurity incidents in 2021.
The number of cybersecurity problems last year was a decline from 21% in 2019 before the pandemic, as Canadian businesses spend more money to prevent cyberattacks.
The latest StatCan report found 16% of small businesses, 25% of medium-sized enterprises, and 37% of large businesses in Canada reported being impacted by cybersecurity events in 2021.
Statistics Canada said the most common cyber threats were attempts to steal money or demand ransom payments, as well as efforts to steal personal and financial data.
The percentage of businesses across Canada that said they are spending money to detect or prevent cybersecurity breaches remained relatively stable in 2021 at 61% compared with 62% who said the same in 2019.
The amount of money Canadian businesses spent to detect or prevent cybersecurity incidents increased by $2.8 billion in 2021 to $9.7 billion, Statistics Canada said.
The report also found that Canadian companies are increasingly implementing policies and procedures to mitigate cybersecurity threats. More than 60% of businesses said they now have at least one employee who is responsible for cybersecurity risks and threats.
