Innovative new Cyber Clinic equips Canada's non-profits to combat growing cyber threats

Computing leader, Okta, is powering the Catalyst Cyber Clinic through a major donation from its philanthropic arm, Okta for Good. (CNW Group/Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University)

Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University (CNW Group/Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University)

The Catalyst Cyber Clinic, from the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at TMU, will be the first Canadian cyber clinic to join the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics. (CNW Group/Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University)

One of the first of its kind in the country, the Catalyst Cyber Clinic will provide free cybersecurity services to charities, non-profits, and social impact organizations while equipping Catalyst cyber program learners and graduates with vital hands-on experience.

BRAMPTON, ON, Nov. 14, 2024 /CNW/ - Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University is proud to announce the launch of the Catalyst Cyber Clinic ("the Cyber Clinic"). The Cyber Clinic will offer free cybersecurity services to under-resourced not-for-profit organizations in Canada, and will be staffed by cybersecurity learners and graduates who, by working at the Cyber Clinic, will gain the hands-on cybersecurity experience they need to find employment in cybersecurity.

Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst is grateful to computing leader Okta, which is powering this vital initiative through a major donation from its philanthropic arm, Okta for Good. Okta for Good's significant contribution will support the launch of the Catalyst Cyber Clinic and its initial program deliveries.

Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst is also proud to announce that the Cyber Clinic will be the first Canadian member of the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics, a network of leading cyber clinics in the United States and internationally. Headquartered at the University of California, Berkeley, the Consortium  includes clinics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the University of Texas at Austin, and over 30 other public and private universities and colleges across the United States and beyond. 

The Cyber Clinic is an essential addition to the Canadian cybersecurity ecosystem in two ways. First, it will offer essential services at no cost to vulnerable organizations. Non-profit and donation-based organizations often have large pools of sensitive and personal information and few resources to defend against cyber attacks. Unfortunately, this makes them attractive targets for cybercriminals and state actors.

Second, the Cyber Clinic will offer cybersecurity learners and recent graduates the chance to get vital hands-on experience working with real clients on real cyber challenges. Cybersecurity employers constantly emphasize the importance of experiential learning in employee training, and experience through the Cyber Clinic will be a critical benefit for Catalyst learners and graduates.

By the numbers:

• Nonprofits are just as likely as businesses to experience a cybersecurity incident but spend significantly less on cybersecurity prevention and detection.
• 59% of Canadian nonprofits reported experiencing fraud or scams like phishing in the past year.
• 21% of small charities in Canada have no data protection policies in place.
• 18% of charities report being "completely unprepared" to handle a cybersecurity crisis.

For more information about the Catalyst Cyber Clinic please visit https://cybersecurecatalyst.ca/clinic/ or email us directly at  [email protected].

Quotes:

"The Catalyst Cyber Clinic will be a game-changer," said Victor Cordon, Director of Social Impact at Okta for Good. "We are proud to support a program that bridges skill gaps, drives social good, and strengthens Canada's cyber landscape."

"The clinic reflects our commitment to building a more resilient and secure digital ecosystem for everyone," said Charles Finlay, Founding Executive Director of Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst. "By empowering future cyber professionals with practical experience and supporting vulnerable organizations, we are fostering resilience where it matters most — within the communities that power Canada's civil society."

"We are thrilled to welcome the Catalyst Cyber Clinic as the first Canadian cyber clinic to join our growing membership," said Ann Cleaveland, Co-Chair of the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics, a network of higher education cyber clinics that was founded in the US in 2021. "With partners like Catalyst, we're building a more resilient digital landscape across North America and beyond."

About Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst

Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, based at Toronto Metropolitan University, is Canada's leading national centre for innovation and training in cybersecurity. The Catalyst drives the growth of Canada's cybersecurity ecosystem by providing training, education, support for cyber innovation, and public policy advocacy.

About Okta

Okta is The World's Identity Company™. We secure Identity, so everyone is free to safely use any technology. Our customer and workforce solutions empower businesses and developers to use the power of Identity to drive security, efficiencies, and success. Learn why the world's leading brands trust Okta at okta.com.

About the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics

Founded in May 2021, the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics serves as a forum for clinicians, trainers, students, and advocates to share knowledge, expand the reach of cybersecurity clinics, and lower the barriers for other institutions to establish their own clinics.

SOURCE Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University

Media Contact: Claire van Nierop, Manager, Communications, [email protected]