University of New Brunswick creates cybersecurity ‘hub’ with new institute

The University of New Brunswick (UNB) has become a “hub” for cybersecurity, with Monday’s opening of the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity.

The first of its kind in the country, the institute will be a place for “research, training and industry collaboration,” according to the university.

READ MORE: New Brunswick launches strategy to become a world leader in cybersecurity

“Out society has gone digital,” MP Matt DeCourcey said at the announcement.

The centre is backed by more than $4.5 million in funding — $2.27 million from the federal government, $2 million from the province and $330,000 from UNB.

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Premier Brian Gallant called the opening of the centre the beginning of something “crucial to the New Brunswick economy.”

“If we’re going to continue the momentum that we’ve created together when it comes to economic growth we have to continuously make strategic investments,” Gallant said.

“This is how we’re going to really make sure that we have economic prosperity in our province.”

According to institute director Dr. Ali Ghorbani, cybersecurity is moving from defending, to protecting against potential cyber threats.

“Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT problem,” Ghorbani said.

READ MORE: Cybersecurity experts warn Maritime companies of online danger

“The attackers get better and better at what they do all the time, and we need to fend that off with new solutions,” said chief technology officer and IBM fellow, Sandy Bird.

“We’ve gotten to a point where it’s highly profitable for the attackers now to attack both industries and individuals, so it’s taken this to a whole new level in terms of the protections we have to put in place to keep us safe.”

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Bird says that by 2020, there will likely be nearly 1.5 million vacant cybersecurity jobs — a gap he hopes the institute will fill by training new people.

The multi-faceted institute will include experts from science and other faculties.