Cybersecurity in business is now a major concern. Cyberattacks no longer target only large organizations: SMEs are often the most vulnerable due to limited resources or lack of preparation. According to a BDC survey published in 2025, 73% of Canadian SMEs have already experienced at least one cybersecurity incident, and 61% have been targeted by phishing attempts via email. Yet, more than half do not feel prepared to handle such an incident.
To protect your business effectively, it’s essential to adopt a structured cybersecurity strategy, tailored to your reality and capable of evolving over time.
Here are the key steps to building a solid strategy that complies with Law 25 and helps prevent digital risks.
1. Assess Risks and Vulnerabilities
The first step is to conduct a cybersecurity audit. This exercise provides a complete overview of your technological environment and internal practices. It includes:
- The state of your IT infrastructure: servers, networks, workstations, software.
- Access to sensitive data: who has access to what, and how those accesses are controlled.
- Risky behaviors: use of weak passwords, clicking on suspicious links, etc.
- Regulatory compliance: especially regarding Law 25, which imposes strict obligations for protecting personal information.
“A well-executed security audit is like a medical check-up for your business: it helps detect weaknesses before they become major problems.”
— Nicolas Côté, Cybersecurity Practice Lead at Solulan
2. Define Security Objectives
An effective strategy is built on clear objectives aligned with business priorities. These may include:
- Protecting sensitive data: clients, employees, partners.
- Ensuring business continuity: avoiding disruptions caused by security incidents.
- Reducing the risk of cyberattacks: through preventive measures and detection tools.
- Legal compliance: especially with Law 25, which requires transparency, consent, and incident management.
These objectives should be shared across internal teams to ensure collective engagement.
3. Implement Technical and Organizational Measures
Once objectives are defined, it’s time to take action. Here are the main cybersecurity solutions for businesses to consider:
- Secure IT infrastructure: includes installing firewalls, antivirus software, network segmentation, and regular system updates. These measures reduce entry points for cyberattackers.
- Data backups: regular and secure copies of your critical data allow for quick recovery in case of an incident.
- Penetration testing: simulating attacks helps identify vulnerabilities before they’re exploited.
- Managed or co-managed IT services: outsourcing certain functions provides access to specialized expertise and continuous monitoring.
- Cybersecurity training: employees must be trained to recognize threats (phishing, malware) and adopt the right reflexes.
- Internal policies: clear rules on password management, use of personal devices, and data sharing strengthen your security posture.
- Email filtering solutions: tools that detect and block malicious emails before they reach inboxes or your environment. They act as a shield against phishing and malware hidden in attachments.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA): adds an extra layer of protection by requiring users to verify their identity with something they own (e.g., a phone) or something unique to them (biometrics), in addition to their password. This is especially effective for securing access to critical systems.
“Ongoing employee training is our best defense against social engineering and phishing attacks. A well-informed employee is one less vulnerability for the company.”
— Martin Boutin, Business Development & Ambassador at Solulan
4. Monitor, Adjust, and Continuously Improve
Cybersecurity is not a one-time project—it’s a continuous process. Threats evolve constantly, just like your business. It’s crucial to:
- Implement monitoring tools: to quickly detect suspicious behavior or anomalies.
- Conduct regular audits: to ensure existing measures remain effective.
- Adapt to new threats: by staying informed on cybersecurity trends and developments.
- Keep digital risk management up to date: by integrating technological, organizational, or regulatory changes.
This dynamic approach helps maintain resilience against cyber threats.
Real-World Example: A Well-Prepared SME
A Solulan client in the manufacturing sector was targeted by a ransomware attack. Thanks to a structured cybersecurity plan, including automated backups, a secure IT infrastructure, and employee training, the company was able to restore its data with minimal impact. This case shows how a well-thought-out strategy can make all the difference.
In Conclusion
Adopting a cybersecurity strategy means following a structured approach: assess, plan, protect, train, and monitor. It also means choosing the right partners to support you through this transformation.
Contact Solulan to discuss your strategy and discover how we can strengthen your company’s information system security.
