CCTX
Strengthening Cyber Resilience through Collaboration

Businesses are completely interconnected today, with each one acting as a link in a long, interdependent chain. Cyberattacks that affect one business can have a cascading impact throughout their supply chain. It is imperative for all companies, regardless of their size or sector, to adopt a collaborative approach to securing their organization and their supply chain.

Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange (CCTX) recognizes this critical need and provides a trustedenvironment for companies to collaborate and engage in sharinginformation and best practices regarding cybersecurity, ultimately protecting their entire supply chain. It creates a vibrant community where companies collectively enhance their cyber resilience.

“Our cross-sector community is a neighborhood watch system where companies can ensure their cyber resilience and that of their clients, customers, and other stakeholders,” says Bob Gordon, strategic advisor at CCTX.

It provides a forum that enables cyber professionals from different organizations to come together, exchange ideas, and build a robust alliance.

Central to CCTX’s operations is the exchange of cyber threat intelligence. Member companies actively contribute threat information in formats ranging from simple emails to automated feeds containing indicators of compromise and live calls. Daily reports on the evolving cyber threat landscape—including the latest attacks and vulnerabilities—are provided along with guidance on the necessary patching of security bugs. The CCTX team analyzes and consolidates this wealth of knowledge and serves as a force multiplier for smaller businesses lacking comprehensive resources to secure their digital operations.

CCTX facilitates coordination and knowledge sharing through various initiatives. Regular threat analyst calls bring together experts to discuss emerging threats, share experiences, and seek advice from peers. These calls serve as crucial opportunities for benchmarking incident response strategies, particularly during critical incidents like the Log4j vulnerability that put users of the logging tool at risk of data theft.

Beyond threat intelligence, CCTX’s value extends to knowledge sharing on various topics.

For instance, during a recent call, a company seeking to implement a new system received valuable advice from another member who had previously undergone a similar process, resulting in significant time savings.

Members share according to their capability and needs; all are able to draw on the resources of the organization and other members. Many contribute by sharing resources including new programs or procedure guides, and templates that can be customized for others. This approach addresses the diverse needs of organizations with varying levels of cyber resilience and maturity.

Privacy protection is also of utmost importance to CCTX. Member organizations enter service agreements that include robust confidentiality provisions outlining the permissible use and dissemination of shared information. It employs the Traffic Light Protocol—also used by the Canadian and the U.S. governments—to designate information sensitivity.

Our cross-sector community is a neighborhood watch system where companies can enhance their cyber resilience and that of their clients, customers, and other stakeholders

Joining the CCTX community is a straightforward process. Interested companies can apply, undergo review and approval, and sign the services agreement. Its dedicated staff then guides new members through the onboarding process, familiarizing them with the secure portal and maximizing their participation value.

CCTX’s board of directors come from diverse backgrounds, including small businesses and organizations like the Business Council of Canada. Federal executives from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Canadian Centre for Cybersecurity are permanent invitees on the board. It subsequently fosters a two-way flow of information, enabling valuable insights to be shared within the community and with the government.

Driven to empower businesses with a wealth of expertise and resources, CCTX is a force to reckon with in strengthening cybersecurity posture and promoting a united front against adversaries in cyberspace.