Catalyst Fellowship Program: A collaborative approach to improving cybersecurity
The following feature article was written for Innovation Issue 38: Summer 2023, a publication by Toronto Metropolitan University’s Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation. From remote work, to app-controlled appliances, to online shopping reviews, modern life has never been more connected. But this increased reliance on the internet comes with a related increase in […]
CLIC is designed to help women succeed in cyber
With women holding only about 25% of cybersecurity roles worldwide, it’s clear there is significant work to do to close the gender gap in cybersecurity. Here at the Catalyst, we are committed to diversifying the cyber talent pipeline. We know that women hoping to start careers in cyber face real barriers. Our CLIC program is […]
The Internet of Things exposes us all to the biggest cyber threats
The following op-ed was written by Dr.-Ing Monika Freunek, a research fellow with the Catalyst Fellowship Program, and was first published in the Toronto Star on March 20, 2023. As the U.S. government grows increasingly concerned about Americans’ data on TikTok, President Joe Biden officially announced his intention to ban the Chinese-owned app unless a […]
Leading by example: how to encourage more women to consider careers in cybersecurity
It’s no secret that the cybersecurity sector needs more women. The industry benefits when there are more professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to problem-solve together. Every International Women’s Day, there’s a lot of talk about what we can do to encourage more women to consider and thrive in careers in STEM. At the Catalyst, […]
When cyber experts gather, anxiety is high on the agenda
The following op-ed was written by Catalyst Executive Director Charles Finlay and was first published in iPolitics on Feb 14, 2022. Attend an international cybersecurity conference these days, and behind the vendor pitches and PowerPoint platitudes, you’ll sense a deeper tone of confusion, anxiety and even fear. This angst was certainly in evidence at Cybertech […]
Don’t hide your data. Own it.
The following op-ed was written by Will Christodoulou and Sukhman Dulay of Catalyst Cyber Accelerator cohort 6 company Cyder, and was first published in the Toronto Star on Dec 31, 2022. Owning something with your name on it, such as a house or car, is often a source of pride and control; you can show it […]
Tech sector chaos risks serious cyberattacks
This op-ed first appeared in Newsweek. It’s a bumpy ride in the technology sector these days. Tech firms of all kinds are aggressively resizing, responding to the realities of high interest rates, slowing overall economic growth, and smaller ad budgets. The cuts to workers’ ranks are deep: Layoffs.fyi, a website that tracks tech-sector terminations, estimates that […]
The talent shortage and lack of diversity in cybersecurity is a problem for everyone. Here’s one solution.
As individuals and organizations put increasing amounts of sensitive data on connected networks, the frequency and impact of cybersecurity breaches grow. The Global Risks Report 2022 from the World Economic Forum reported that in 2020, malware and ransomware attacks increased by 358% and 435% respectively. The cybersecurity sector is expanding exponentially to keep up with […]
