CDW Canada, today released its annual Canadian Cybersecurity Study, Canadian Cybersecurity Trends: Bridging Strategy, Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Human Expertise, which explores the evolving state of cybersecurity among Canadian organizations. The study, sponsored by CDW Canada and conducted with additional support and analysis by IDC Canada, surveyed over 704 IT security, risk and compliance professionals.
The expanding threat landscape highlights a critical pattern in 2025. Cyberattacks continue to decrease in frequency, yet successful attacks have intensified and become increasingly disruptive. In the past 12 months, 87 percent of Canadian organizations have reported experiencing a security incident, coupled with a 10 percent year-over-year increase in the length of downtime per incident. This pattern indicates a need for Canadian organizations to prioritize proactive cybersecurity to avoid these detrimental disruptions to their business.
GenAI progress stalls amid gaps in security and governance frameworks
Over the past year, organizations have raced to explore the potential of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), but the excitement has exposed a critical paradox. While organizations recognize GenAI’s transformative potential, many are facing security and compliance barriers that have slowed full-scale adoption.
Canadian organizations are particularly grappling with the complex challenges of securely integrating and scaling GenAI into business operations. Between 2023 and 2024, businesses conducted an average of 17 GenAI proof-of-concepts (PoCs), yet fewer than a third (28 percent) successfully transitioned to full production as concerns over data privacy and compliance put projects on hold.
The majority cite common barriers to adoption, including data privacy concerns (64 percent), skills shortages (57 percent) and system integration complexities (44 percent).
The rush to integrate GenAI has highlighted gaps in Canadian organizations’ foundational frameworks. However, this provides a key opportunity for organizations to strategically assess their data governance and compliance capabilities at a moment when the full potential of GenAI is still in its infancy.
Organizations must invest in strengthening their overall security posture and capabilities to benefit from the transformative potential of GenAI.
Proactive security testing is the missing link for cloud environments
As Canadian organizations expand their digital ecosystems and increasingly rely on their hybrid cloud environments, cyberattackers are keeping pace, exploiting vulnerabilities in cloud environments at an alarming rate. What was once a secondary risk has emerged as a primary concern, with public cloud infrastructures facing more attacks than any other IT infrastructure component.
More than half (61 percent) of Canadian organizations report that their public cloud environments have been the most impacted by cyberattacks. However, organizations conducting annual security testing indicated fewer infiltrations (23 incidents) and breaches (33 incidents) on average compared to 25 and 29 incidents respectively for those without regular testing. This underscores the clear value of comprehensive cloud testing to proactively mitigate risks, freeing up more time and resources for core business operations.
Structural gaps drive the shift toward third-party services
Canadian organizations are prioritizing their security capabilities by investing in Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services, which provide proactive managed solutions to enhance detection and incident response driven by a strategic shift to address internal resource gaps, improve threat detection and response speeds to increase cyber resilience.
Nearly half (41 percent) of Canadian organizations have already adopted MDR services, with more than a third (37 percent) planning to do so in the near future. As organizations continue to struggle with the impacts of breaches, MDR services are a key enabler in reducing vulnerabilities and minimizing operational disruptions.
To learn more about the state of cybersecurity for Canadian organizations, download the study here.
Ricoh introduces first A3 MFPs with straight path scanner
Posted in Commentary with tags Ricoh on April 8, 2025 by itnerdRicoh USA, Inc. today announced a new lineup of intelligent color A3 multifunction printers (MFPs) with a revolutionary automatic single-pass document feeder (SPDF) that accommodates multiple unique media types, delivering the most flexible feeding capabilities for an office MFP on the market today.
While traditional SPDFs are efficient document management tools, their media handling capacities are limited. Due to a curved path, unique format originals, such as plastic ID cards, can only be scanned on an MFP’s exposure glass, resulting in a tedious and time-consuming process. This can result in downtime for businesses due to the physical sorting and setting of originals, frustrating paper jams, and misalignment of scanned images.
The RICOH IM C3510SD, RICOH IM C4510SD and RICOH IM C6010SD(RICOH SD Series) practically eliminates these challenges with a revolutionary production-class straight path SPDF. Incorporating paper transport technology from PFU – a Ricoh Company that manufactures Ricoh document scanners – it dramatically reduces jams while allowing for seamless scanning of mixed originals in a single batch. From thin cash register receipts to fragile thermal or carbonless paper to rigid ID cards, the SPDF on the RICOH SD Series accepts almost anything in its feeder. Users simply place their originals – any size, format, and orientation – in the SPDF and let the MFP do the rest. The RICOH SD Series automatically detects irregularities, and makes orientation and skew adjustments, producing a correctly sized image instantly viewable on the third-generation 10.1” Smart Operation Panel.
Click here to watch a video about the RICOH SD Series’ innovative scanning technology.
A flexible imaging platform
The RICOH SD Series provides all the advanced print, copy and fax features of a modern MFP with flexible and customizable technology that evolves with businesses’ needs. A max print resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi, and a variety of paper tray and finisher options allow businesses to produce professional quality materials, like brochures, booklets, and presentations in-house. Smart solutions, such as RICOH Smart Integration and RICOH Streamline NX, enable users to personalize their device features, enhance document management and optimize digital workflows, while RICOH CloudStream gives businesses more control of their print infrastructures from the cloud.
Reliable security
Hybrid work has changed the way people collaborate, with information sharing no longer occurring within one location. With flexible and mobile workplaces continually evolving, businesses need assurance that their intellectual property and sensitive data remain secure. The RICOH SD Series incorporates Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 encryption as standard, improving the strength of passwords and keys stored on the MFP, and expands the number of admin accounts to reduce the risk of ID sharing. And with RICOH Always Current Technology, businesses can stay ahead of threats with the latest security updates to protect their information and workflows, while also getting access to new features and solutions without having to wait for a technician or purchase a new device.
Advancing sustainability
As an industry leader in sustainability, the RICOH SD Series reflects Ricoh’s long-standing commitment to limiting environmental impacts and supporting sustainable outcomes for businesses worldwide. Designed with 47% post-consumer recycled plastics and using 100% recycled PET toner bottles, the Series’ innovative scanning capabilities promote more digital workflows that reduce paper consumption and waste. An advanced Sleep Mode and a reformulated high-efficiency toner that fuses at a lower temperature also contribute to significantly lower energy usage.
For more information about Ricoh’s print technology, click here.
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