If you’ve never dealt with the devastating consequences of a data breach before, it’s easy to keep putting off implementing comprehensive measures to protect your data.
Many people believe that it’s major mistakes that lead to their data being compromised. But the truth is that data exposure often begins with small, day-to-day security lapses that leave your business vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Reusing a password, sharing a file through an unsecured app, or a team member clicking on a familiar-looking link can lead to big problems. For example, a recent phishing attack on the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization exposed the social insurance numbers, investment account details, and other personal details of 750,000 investors.
As we enter 2026, these types of breaches are becoming more common as businesses juggle hybrid work arrangements, growing data volumes, and an ever-growing number of digital tools.
Data Privacy Week is upon us, the perfect moment to step back and examine your data protection habits and cybersecurity. But Calgary organizations don’t need a calendar event to reassess your approach. At any time, proactive privacy practices can help you avoid turning minor oversights into costly large-scale consequences that damage your business and reputation.
In this article, you’ll learn five practical strategies you can implement right now to reduce your risk and better protect your privacy.
Why Data Privacy Matters More Than Ever in 2026
There has never been a time when organizations and individuals have been more reliant on digital tools. As we increasingly depend on apps, cloud services, and connected devices to power our lives and businesses, the risk of our data falling into the wrong hands has also grown.
According to the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026, cybercriminals are leveraging advances in artificial intelligence to enhance the speed, scale, and precision of their attacks. An especially concerning trend right now are AI deepfakes, where bad actors create convincing fake videos, emails, and photos to compromise your email and extract sensitive information. Every day, their tactics are becoming more sophisticated and easier to scale, increasing the frequency and complexity of threats.
In 2025, phishing drove 31% of known attacks, showing just how aggressively cybercriminals continue to target human vulnerabilities, and why organizations must stay ready for cyber incidents.
These risks can trigger major real-world consequences, often financial loss through fraud or ransomware, with the average data breach costing $4.92 million last year.
Attacks can also halt your organization’s operations when a criminal compromises or locks down your systems. And when the breach exposes customer or partner data, the resulting loss of trust can linger for years, undermining relationships long after you contain the breach.
5 Simple Steps to Protect Your Data in 2026
Rather than waiting for a costly incident to force change, let’s use Data Privacy Week as a chance to pause, reflect, and strengthen your defenses.
Luckily, you don’t need to have advanced technical skills or make huge financial investments to protect your business data. Small, consistent changes in daily habits can significantly reduce your security risk.
Here are five specific ways to protect your organization from cyber threats in 2026.
1. Upgrade Your Password Habits
Are you guilty of reusing passwords across different platforms? We get it; no one likes having to remember fifty different passwords for the many different accounts you use on a daily basis.
Juggling dozens of logins, resetting passwords under time pressure, and getting locked out at the worst possible moment is frustrating for anyone.
Using a password manager can let you offload that task and shift your focus to more important work. Using one single memorable password for the manager, you can use the tool to create and store unique, complex passwords without relying on your memory. This not only lowers the risk of each account being compromised but also reduces the stress of having to remember or keep track of so much information.
2. Turn on Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
Some accounts are simply too risky to protect with passwords alone. Payroll, banking, cloud platforms, email—anything holding sensitive data becomes a disaster zone if someone slips in.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a security approach that helps you create stronger protection. It requires at least two or more different types of proof to verify a user’s identity before granting access to an account or system. That way, even if a bad actor somehow got their hands on one factor, it still wouldn’t be enough for them to access your account.
Typically, that’s broken down into three formats:
- Something you know: That’s your username and password, or a PIN number, passphrase or security question
- Something you have: This should be something you physically possess, like a security key or phone with an authenticator app.
- Something you are: Biometrics, like a fingerprint, face scan or voice recognition.
Access will only be granted when both factors match, which offers much stronger protection against intruders. If a password is guessed, stolen, or exposed in a data breach, MFA can still stop an attacker because they won’t have access to the second factor.
This method is simple, yet effective. And most importantly, it’s easy for you to set up and manage: a quick tap on your phone adds seconds to your login and delivers a massive jump in security.
3. Review Your App Permissions
Are you paying attention when you tap “allow” on app requests for sensitive data like your location, contacts, camera, or microphone?
Many apps keep accessing that information long after you stop using them, creating unnecessary exposure over time. Set aside a moment to review app permissions on both personal and work devices so you can spot and remove access that’s no longer needed.
Limiting permissions to only what’s needed reduces your risk and protects your data without affecting how your devices function.
4. Be Careful Using Public Wi-Fi
Whether it’s remote employees using a café network or travelling staff trying to stay productive in airports, there are many situations where your team may want to connect to public Wi‑Fi.
Unfortunately, these networks often have weak or inconsistent security, making it easier for attackers to intercept your data. Cybercriminals may use them to steal your passwords, eavesdrop on traffic between your device and the network, inject malware, or trick your device into joining fake networks. That puts your emails, personal files, financial information, and other sensitive data at real risk.
The alternatives? Rely on your phone’s cellular network for a hotspot or stick to trusted networks. When these options are not possible, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt your internet traffic and keep your data safe when connecting on the go.
5. Spot the Phishing Scams
Think phishing scams are easy to spot? Think again. Today’s attacks are designed to look almost identical to messages from trusted coworkers and familiar services. Modern attacks even mimic legitimate workflows, complete with branding, language, and formatting that make them feel real.
These messages often succeed because they exploit your real human emotions, like a sense of urgency. The best defense is to slow down before you act and take a moment to question any request, especially if it pushes you to move fast or hand over personal information.
When something feels off, check with the alleged sender through a separate channel of communication. For example, if you get an unusual email requesting information from a customer you trust, give that person a call to make sure it’s legitimate before giving any details. A healthy dose of skepticism could save you from a big headache.
Keep Your Data Private with PC Corp
Inspired to take action? Data Privacy Week is a great time to take a step back, review your organization’s data security posture, and implement these simple tactics to stay ahead.
But while each suggestion can help strengthen your resilience, there’s no one-time quick fix to protect your data privacy. Keeping your information secure requires ongoing vigilance and a layered cybersecurity foundation that evolves alongside the threats around you.
When you partner with our team at PC Corp, you’ll benefit from proactive managed IT services and advanced cybersecurity solutions for your Calgary organization that work together to secure your operations.
Contact us today to discuss how you can keep your data private and your business operating smoothly.
