Alberta Innovates confirmed unauthorized access to its network

Alberta Innovates, a provincially funded Crown corporation that provides grants and programs to entrepreneurs, researchers and industry in Alberta, confirmed in November 2024 that it had been targeted in a cyberattack. Spokesperson Dwayne Brunner described the incident as unauthorized access to the Alberta Innovates network by a third party.

The organization said the resulting network problems were resolved quickly and that it was investigating with the help of outside cybersecurity experts. It declined to say when the disruption began or how long the intruder had access.

Alberta Innovates would not confirm whether any personal or proprietary information had been viewed, copied or otherwise compromised, saying only that the privacy and security of the information it holds were a priority and that more would be known as the investigation progressed. The agency holds material tied to a substantial funding portfolio: BetaKit reported it was managing close to 1,300 projects worth roughly $1.33 billion.

The office of Alberta's Technology and Innovation minister acknowledged the incident and said the provincial government's cyber team was providing assistance as needed. No threat group claimed responsibility, no ransom demand was reported and no breach notification had been issued as of the reporting date. BetaKit noted it was the second Canadian provincial innovation agency hit in 2024, after a phishing attack on Invest Nova Scotia in May diverted about $573,000.