Canadian boards keep asking, “Are we compliant?” It’s the wrong question. At 010grp, we measure success by how fast we detect intrusions and how little damage they do, not by how tidy a policy binder looks. Canada’s National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025–2026 is blunt: ransomware and identity‑driven intrusions remain the headline threats, and the tempo isn’t slowing. Compliance alone won’t save you; operational security will.
compliance ≠ security
Baseline frameworks and checklists are valuable, but they are minimums. Meanwhile, attackers exploit stolen identities, weak endpoint hygiene, and sleepy monitoring. In 2023, identity theft was the largest change among incident methods affecting Canadian businesses- nearly one‑third of impacted firms reported it- a signal that “hackers don’t break in, they log in.” Statistics Canada’s 2023 business impact data tells the same story we see in incident response.
What actually works: identity‑first Zero Trust, mapped to Canada’s Baseline Controls
Good news: Canada already gives SMBs a practical playbook. The Cyber Centre’s Baseline Cyber Security Controls for Small and Medium Organizations aim for an 80/20 outcome- the highest risk‑reduction for the least effort. Treat those controls as a floor, then add identity‑centric detection and response. We also track the evolving Canadian standard CAN/DGSI 104 (Rev. 2024) so your program aligns with recognized guidance.
And remember: if personal information is involved, PIPEDA requires breach assessment, reporting, notification, and record‑keeping. Failing to meet those obligations can trigger penalties, and reputational damage that lasts longer than any audit finding. Build reporting into your incident playbooks, not after the fact.
The 60‑day Canadian operational plan
This is the approach we deploy as 010grp. It’s opinionated, fast to stand up, and mapped to the Baseline Controls with the identity and detection layers most SMBs miss.
Days 1–14: Lock identity and email first
- Identity hardening: Enforce phishing‑resistant MFA, kill legacy protocols, and remove standing admin rights. If you only read one primer, read our take: Hackers Don’t Break In, They Log In.
- Email & collaboration controls: Turn on DMARC/DKIM/SPF, quarantine auto‑forwarding, and block risky file types. See our explainer: Email Filtering — Why It Matters. Our security awareness training focuses on Canadian social‑engineering patterns, not generic slides.
- Shadow AI policy: Close the “paste data into random bots” hole with allow‑lists and DLP. Start here: Shadow AI Is Leaking Your Data; Lock It Down in 30 Days.
Days 10–28: See your risk; patch like you mean it
- Rapid risk scan: Run a targeted vulnerability assessment, fix internet‑facing issues immediately, and set a patch SLO (critical ≤72h). Our walkthrough: Why Every Business Needs a Vulnerability Assessment.
- Endpoint hygiene: Baseline EDR with ransomware protections and USB controls. Measure mean time to patch and mean time to isolate.
- 24/7 visibility: Attacks peak after hours. If no one’s watching, you’re flying blind — we explain the data here: You’re Flying Blind Without 24/7 Monitoring.
Days 20–45: Turn on identity‑first SIEM/SOC
- Identity rules > more logs: Correlate token anomalies, impossible travel, MFA fatigue, stale admin accounts, and mass‑download patterns. Our blueprint: The 7 SIEM Moves Canadian SMBs Must Make Now.
- Canadian runbooks: Onboard with clear containment steps that match your stack (Microsoft 365, Azure, Intune, etc.). If you want someone else to run it, our SIEM/SOC‑as‑a‑Service is built for SMB budgets but battle‑tested.
Days 30–50: Backups that survive ransomware
- Immutability + offline copy: 3‑2‑1 with immutability, versioning, and quarterly restore drills. Tie RTO/RPO to business impact, not wishful thinking. Our backup‑as‑a‑service keeps the “last line” usable under pressure.
- Ransomware reality check: Understand Ransomware‑as‑a‑Service in Canada and test your isolation steps for hypervisors, identity, and backup consoles.
Days 40–60: Tabletop + breach reporting muscle memory
- Tabletop with receipts: Simulate an incident that touches personal information. Practice your “RROSH” assessment, notifications, and breach record‑keeping so you’re ready for the OPC’s requirements. When it’s real, you won’t be reading a PDF.
- IR kit: Pre‑built isolation steps, legal contacts, and out‑of‑band comms. If you’re already under fire, start here: Quick Damage Control Steps.
Three myths we still hear; and why they’re wrong
- “We passed an audit, so we’re safe.” Audits test paperwork; attackers test your weekends. Canada’s threat picture shows persistent, fast‑moving intrusions, treat controls as living operations.
- “We’re too small to be targeted.” SMBs are frequently hit, identity abuse is widespread and affordable for criminals. Operational basics beat size every time.
- “Baselines are overkill.” The Canadian Baseline is deliberately pragmatic- an 80/20 design to reduce risk with limited resources. Start there, then layer identity‑first detection and response.
Where 010grp fits
We quietly plug gaps you actually feel during incidents: technology strategy that aligns controls to business risk, managed SIEM/SOC with Canadian runbooks, dark‑web and credential intelligence to pre‑empt account takeover, and resilient backup and recovery. If you want to go deeper on frameworks, we also broke down Canada’s Baseline vs. CIS Controls so you can pick the right yardstick for your size and sector.
Want a no‑pressure starting point? Ask us for a 30‑minute “controls gap check.” We’ll map where you stand against Canada’s Baseline Controls and the identity‑first moves that most reduce your risk, then you decide how far to take it. You’ll find us via the cyber protection services page or contact us directly.
