New Report Warns of Healthcare Cybersecurity Crisis in Canada

Canadian Cybersecurity Network Sounds Alarm: A Single Click Can Cancel a Surgery

MONTREAL, Oct. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Canadian Cybersecurity Network (CCN), Canada's largest cybersecurity community, today released its Pulse Check – National Cybersecurity in Healthcare Report at INCYBER Forum in Montreal. The report issues a stark warning: cyberattacks targeting Canada's healthcare system are accelerating, threatening care delivery, patient trust, and the resilience of Canada's most critical sector.

Patients nationwide are already feeling the effects of rising cyberattacks and ransomware incidents. From surgeries in Ontario abruptly cancelled, to Toronto's SickKids Hospital facing delays in vital treatment, to Newfoundland and Labrador's province-wide breach costing $16 million and delaying thousands of procedures, these aren't isolated events, but signs of a growing national crisis. With a single click, a cyberattack can cancel a surgery, derail critical treatment plans, and put lives at risk. Globally, the threat is just as severe, with healthcare systems in the U.S. and U.K. suffering mass breaches and service shutdowns.

"Cybersecurity in healthcare isn't just about protecting data, it's about protecting people. A single click can cancel a surgery. When systems go down, patient care stops, and the consequences are life and death," said François Guay, Founder and CEO of the CCN.

"Every healthcare worker, policymaker, and leader has a role to play in protecting our healthcare system. Every cyber defence is another layer of protection around public health," said Elias Diab, VP of Cybersecurity at Accerta. 

"Canada's healthcare system is already stretched thin, facing staff shortages, long wait times, and rising demand," said Dr. Benoit Desjardins, MD, PhD, Professor and CMIO of Radiology, University of Montreal (CHUM). "The last thing it needs is a cyberattack that shuts down hospitals or exposes patient data. Inaction isn't just risky, it's dangerous. We need a unified, national response to protect a system Canadians rely on every day."

5 Key Findings of the Report

• Embed cybersecurity into every digital health initiative — from conception to deployment.
• Invest in people by building cybersecurity capacity across clinicians, administrators, and IT teams.
• Prioritize awareness through national, human-centered cybersecurity training for all healthcare workers.
• Adopt secure-by-design funding models that reward resilience, not just connectivity.
• Share threat intelligence nationally so every breach teaches, and no hospital stands alone.

The message is clear: healthcare cybersecurity is a matter of patient safety, public confidence, and national resilience. The report calls for immediate investment in staff awareness and training, stronger leadership engagement, and more resilient systems to ensure Canada's healthcare can withstand the rising tide of cyber threats and protect continuity of care.

Download The Pulse Check – National Cybersecurity in Healthcare Report for free here. 

About Canadian Cybersecurity Network
Founded in 2019, the Canadian Cybersecurity Network (CCN) is Canada's largest cybersecurity member organization, connecting more than 45,000 professionals, 300 member companies and reaching nearly one million people nationwide. With a mission of "Stronger Together," CCN delivers independent research, national programming, and thought leadership to support cyber awareness, workforce development, and innovation. Learn more at www.canadiancybersecuritynetwork.com; follow on LinkedIn.

Media Contact:
François Guay
[email protected]
236-983-7300

SOURCE Canadian Cybersecurity Network