Cyber-attacks on Canadian municipalities increasing

What would you do if you came into the office one morning and found your municipality’s computer systems had been compromised and locked down?

This is not a risk management scenario – this happened to the Town of Midland, Ontario, earlier this month. In fact, the OPP have been dealing with cyber-attacks on a number of municipalities, with at least two municipalities having their systems compromised.

With cyber risks continuing to grow, making good risk management decisions really matters. Cyber-attacks or data breach incidents are frequently in the headlines, even here in Canada, and the damage can be significant. Time is of the essence in getting your municipality back into operation, and cyber insurance can help.  As noted by the Town of Midland Mayor, “the decision to purchase insurance has proven beneficial and has helped the municipality recover faster than it might have otherwise.”

At AMSC, we understand the needs of municipalities and will work with you to establish appropriate risk management techniques and set up a recovery and response team. Working with you, we can help you determine your cyber exposures and review your cyber risk management options to address your concerns. More information is included in the Cyber and Privacy Liability General Insurance Program Fact Sheet, or call any member of the AMSC General Insurance Services Team at 310-AUMA or email insurance [at] auma.ca (insurance[at]auma[dot]ca). 

Learn more about AMSC insurance, risk and claims services on the AUMA website.