ISA Cybersecurity is proud to be an official supplier partner of Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace (OECM).
Our full range of cybersecurity services and solutions is available to you at the best possible pricing through OECM’s networking products and related services partnership agreement.
The Cybersecurity Challenge
The threat to schools is real – in 2020 a number of schools and universities in Canada and around the world were affected by ransomware attacks. These threats occurred both directly (with school systems breached, or locked and held for ransom) or downstream, with third party suppliers being hacked or suffering data breaches that exposed schools, students and staff. Ontario schools hold a significant amount of personal data – beyond scholastic records, consider the health information, gender profiles, immigration details that are stored on school or board servers. If stolen, this information can be exploited for extortion, resale, cyber bullying, or even as a springboard to hack other online services. Cyber incidents can expose educational institutions to loss of funding or revenue, damaged reputations, or even litigation. Schools cannot take chances with this sensitive data.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made cybersecurity even more important. Cyber threats have never been so complex and prevalent, and the attacks during the crisis have escalated dramatically. Plus, with many students and educators still based at home, the demands for secure solutions are challenging and varied. With multiple competing priorities, security initiatives may be falling behind. Adequate cybersecurity training for board personnel and educators is often difficult to coordinate, creating added potential exposure. ISA has extensive experience in securing remote workers, and providing best-in-class security solutions and consultation. We have proven solutions to assist with awareness training and cybersecurity professional services where your teams may be strapped for time or expertise.
Why Choose ISA through OECM?
The OECM website says it best:
“OECM is a trusted not-for-profit collaborative sourcing partner for Ontario’s education sector, broader public sector, and other not-for-profit organizations. We contract with innovative, reputable suppliers to offer a comprehensive choice of quality products and services, and generate significant savings for our customers.”
Choosing with ISA through the OECM program delivers savings and efficiencies while gaining access to our outstanding products and services. Working with ISA through OECM’s sourcing process is compliant with the Broader Public Sector (BPS) Procurement Directive and other trade agreements: this gives your procurement process transparency – no surprises or conflicts of interest. And all at the best possible pricing, which is more important than ever with COVID-19 bringing still more uncertainty to strained board and school budgets.
ISA has strong roots in Ontario, founded here and based in Toronto for nearly thirty years. It’s important to have local talent that understands the environment and is close at hand to help: with offices in Toronto and Ottawa, our team of over 100 cybersecurity professionals and our 24×7, state-of-the-art Cybersecurity Intelligence & Operations Centre (CIOC) are right here when you need them. That’s why we are not only recognized as a Supply Chain Ontario Vendor of Record (VOR), but also have a valued networking products and related services partnership agreement with OECM (located under the “IT Hardware” class of product and services).
We feel we have the perfect blend of big and small firm attributes: we are recognized as a major player in Canadian cybersecurity services, and our key strategic partnerships with global cybersecurity firms give you access to the best solutions in the world. We know our stuff. But we’re also small and nimble enough to be flexible and provide the exceptional customer service and personal attention you need to navigate through the complex world of cybersecurity. We’re approachable and personally engaged in your success.
And ISA is more than just another cybersecurity company in other ways too. We prove our commitment to post-secondary success through our partnership with the University of Guelph in creating and sponsoring the Master of Cybersecurity and Threat Intelligence graduate program. We demonstrate our community involvement through charitable activities and event sponsorships. We have a continuing commitment to diversity and inclusion, through our diverse executive team and staff, our transparent recruitment and hiring practices, our welcoming corporate culture, and our promotion of International Women’s Day and recent Female Trailblazers in Cybersecurity virtual roundtable.
ISA understands the challenges you face, and stand ready to help you mitigate these constant risks. We can help you get a handle on your cybersecurity exposures, and help you work through your priorities to keep your staff and students safe. We maintain solid reference customers throughout the education sector – and we hope you will join us to help protect even more Ontario schools from cyber threat.
Visit the OECM website for more information, or contact us