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Cybersecurity in Alberta

Get helpful tips and learn how we’re working to improve our provincial cybersecurity posture.

Overview

Alberta is a leader in public-sector cybersecurity. Our Cybersecurity Services division works with federal, provincial and territorial counterparts to develop and communicate a critical infrastructure protection strategy for government systems.

Report a concern

The Government of Alberta is committed to ensuring the security of the public by protecting their information from unwarranted disclosure.

Individuals who have encountered a technical issue are encouraged to report the issue or defect.

Cybersecurity Strategy

We live in an increasingly digital world where cyber threat actors grow more inventive all the time, meaning that Alberta’s government must ensure our systems can stand up to larger numbers of more sophisticated attacks.

An important aspect of this work is applying rigorous security protocols to digital systems that hold personal information and support government services.

The Government of Alberta Cybersecurity Strategy is a proactive framework of practices based on the industry-leading principles of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

We are committed to protecting system and information confidentiality, integrity and availability in the face of increasingly complex threats to cybersecurity.

Strategic pillars

Our Cybersecurity Strategy centres on 10 pillars that guide and support the program.

  1. Expand the CyberAlberta Program. We are leading a community-of-interest group to strengthen Alberta’s overall cybersecurity posture by supporting and working collaboratively with public agencies, businesses and individuals.
  2. Operationalize Risk-Based Cybersecurity Controls Framework. Our Information Security Management Directives document basic controls to be implemented into systems and measures compliance to these controls.
  3. Enhance cybersecurity awareness. Training staff to recognize and respond to cyber threats to improve the organizations’ chances of keeping assets secure, and keeping our cybersecurity staff’s skills current.
  4. Identity, protect, and monitor critical systems. Our Disaster Recovery Framework helps us plan, test, and ensure critical services are available when they’re needed most.
  5. Improve authentication systems. Build secure and transparent authentication and authorization controls that protect user privacy, while enabling seamless and convenient digital interactions.
  6. Shift to proactive protection, detection, and response Controls. Taking an aggressive and proactive stance ensures that threats are identified and dealt with before they become incidents.
  7. Assess backup solutions with considerations to cloud migration. Modernizing data backup solutions ensures improved systems resiliency and ability to recover in the event of disasters.
  8. Ensure security throughout digital assets’ lifecycle. Security by design, from conceptual design to development, then production, and throughout the assets’ lifecycle until decommissioning ensures optimal security.
  9. Leverage threat intelligence to evolve security controls. Leverage data collected on all services, including security related data, to predict future threats and implement strong security controls.
  10. Develop new cybersecurity talent. We are exploring innovative ways to train, attract, and retain talented and qualified cybersecurity professionals to protect assets.

CyberAlberta Community of Interest

The CyberAlberta Community of Interest gathers Alberta stakeholders to help strengthen the province’s overall cybersecurity posture, including the level of protection applied to critical infrastructure. This made-in-Alberta solution aims to equip public and private sector entities with the skills they need to protect themselves and Albertans in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. Read the terms of reference.

CyberAlberta is focused on exploring and understanding growing threats and how to treat them to help protect Albertans, their personal information, the services they rely on everyday, and critical infrastructure that supports their lives and livelihoods. The group also helps promote best practices in cybersecurity to help organizations stay ahead of these threats and is working to develop new cyber talent across the province to address the growing demand for skilled professionals.

Membership

The CyberAlberta Community of Interest now has over 220 members representing public and private sector organizations from across Alberta.

If your organization is interested in participating, email: [email protected]. 

Tip sheets

Strong cybersecurity habits help protect the personal information you keep online. As cyber attacks become more common and cybercriminals become more creative, it’s important to take measures to protect your online identity.

These printable tip sheets can help you stay ahead of cyber threats:

Businesses, non-profits, and other organizations may also benefit from these tips:

Online training

The following eCourses will help you polish your cybersecurity skills to stay safe online. Each course should only take about 10 minutes to complete.

  • Protecting information when working offsite

    This course outlines best practices that help you ensure data is secure when you are working away from your work station.

    Access the Protecting Information When Working Offsite eCourse

  • Phishing and social engineering

    Cyber criminals may use phishing or social engineering to pose as an individual or organization in order to gain your personal information. Learn to spot the signs.

    Access the Phishing and Social Engineering eCourse

  • Malware and ransomware

    Malware is any harmful software designed to damage a computer. There are many different forms, including viruses and ransomware, which denies a user access to their device until they pay a ransom.

    Access the Malware and Ransomware eCourse

  • Safe electronic and physical document handling

    Everyone has a responsibility to take reasonable steps to protect information while they are at work. Learn how to safely access, manage, store, and dispose of physical and electronic documents.

    Access the Safe Electronic and Physical Document Handling eCourse

  • Secure passwords

    Your password is your first line of defence from cyber criminals. Keep your accounts secure by creating a strong passphrase that is meaningful to you but difficult to crack.

    Access the Secure Passwords eCourse

Report an issue or defect

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Publication

Contact

Connect with Cybersecurity Services:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Email: [email protected]