Why experts fear Canada's not-for-profits are prime targets for hackers

"Non-profits are targeted by everyone," said Stéphane Duguin, CEO of the Geneva-based Protect.ngo Foundation, in an interview with CBC News.[2] According to CBC, Duguin said non-profit organizations are more at risk because in addition to common attacks like email phishing attempts, they can also fall victim to targeted, politically motivated hacks[2].CBC reports that most not-for-profits receive funding and grants for specific projects, limiting their ability to invest in a long-term cybersecurity strategy and to attract experienced IT professionals.[1] Duguin told CBC that such organizations "will not be competitive when it comes to salary and retention.[1]Duguin also says there have been more than 1,000 publicly recorded cyber attacks targeting non-profits around the world since November 2018 — at least 22 of which are Canada-based[1], CBC reports, adding that he believes the true total is likely higher.CBC reports that it is unclear if the CCSA ever asked similar questions of Navigate360, the third-party vendor that managed its data, and was the target of the March hack that leaked Crime Stoppers' tips.[1]According to CBC, the voluntary federal CyberSecure certification is "better than nothing," said Dehghantanha, the Canada Research Chair in Cybersecurity at the University of Guelph, but it cannot replace regular, independent assessments by experts.[2]CBC also reports that Canadian non-profits are largely exempt from the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act that could force accountability for privacy breaches.[2]