If you are wondering if DDOS attacks are illegal in Canada, you are not alone. Canada has a strong Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and punishes those who break the law with prison sentences of up to ten years. If you are caught performing a DDOS attack, you may also face a large fine up to $100,000. The following article will provide you with an overview of the penalties and extraterritorial application of the Canadian Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
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DDOS attacks cost small businesses around $120,000
According to research conducted by Kaspersky Lab, DDoS attacks cost small and medium businesses (SMBs) an average of $120,000 to restore services. For enterprises, the costs may top $2 million. While a single attack can affect a small business in an isolated way, they can also be part of a more widespread cyberattack campaign. In 2017, an average SMB spent $120,000 on responding to a DDoS attack.
The costs of DDoS attacks vary widely from business to business, but it is worth noting that smaller businesses are often the ones who suffer the most. Considering that DDoS attacks are relatively easy to perpetrate, cybercriminals are increasingly interested in exploiting them. While DDoS attacks can impact any website, a small business can incur damages of up to $120,000 for each attack. Small businesses should consider moving their website’s servers to a cloud-based service to secure them from DDoS attacks.
Even after recovering from a DDOS attack, the damage is often far from over. According to Keeper Security’s 2019 SMB Cyberthreat Study, 66% of senior decision-makers believe their small businesses won’t fall victim to cybercriminals. However, the number of attacks continues to increase. In fact, more than half of small businesses have suffered at least one breach in the past year. Four out of ten have experienced multiple incidents.
Penalties
A DDoS attack can be expensive. For example, it could take days or hours to restore your website. It could also affect your eCommerce application, causing customers to search elsewhere for the products or services they need. And, depending on the type of attack, you could face penalties of up to ten years in prison and a $500,000 fine. That’s why you should be aware of the potential costs before beginning a DDoS attack.
There are a variety of federal criminal laws applicable to cybercriminals in Canada. One of them is cyberterrorism, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Another offense is interception of private communications. An interception conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years, while possession of tools carries a two-year penalty. In Canada, the penalties for cybercriminality are steep, but they are also growing.
Extraterritorial application
If you’ve ever suffered from a DDoS attack, you’ve likely wondered whether it’s legal. While Canadian law doesn’t prohibit these types of attacks, it is possible that your actions could have extraterritorial application. Section 12 of the CASL, for example, prohibits the installation of computer programs on computer systems in Canada without the owner’s consent. The broader implications of CASL violation extend to attacks of Canadian computer systems.
