Cybersecurity continues to be one of the most significant operational risks facing modern economies. Financial institutions, fintech companies, and digital service providers are increasingly targeted by sophisticated cyber threats that can disrupt services and undermine trust in financial systems.

Recently, Alberta’s Minister of Technology and Innovation highlighted the scale of the challenge , noting that the province managed close to 3,000 cybersecurity incidents last year,representing an increase of approximately 35% compared to the previous year. As part of Budget 2026, the provincial government has committed additional investment toward strengthening cybersecurity resilience, including efforts to update and replace legacy systems.

While government-led initiatives are critical, strengthening cybersecurity resilience across the province also requires active participation from organizations operating within Alberta’s financial and technology ecosystem.

The Importance of Security in Financial Messaging Infrastructure

Many financial institutions and fintech companies rely on global payment and financial messaging infrastructure to support their operations. One of the most important of these networks is SWIFT, which provides the messaging platform used by banks and financial institutions to facilitate international financial transactions.

In response to several global cyber incidents targeting financial messaging systems, SWIFT introduced the Customer Security Programme (CSP). The programme establishes a set of mandatory and advisory security controls designed to ensure that institutions connecting to the SWIFT network maintain strong cybersecurity practices.

Organizations connected to SWIFT are expected to implement the controls outlined in the SWIFT Customer Security Controls Framework (CSCF) and perform annual self-attestations. In many cases, institutions also engage independent assessors to evaluate the effectiveness of their security controls and confirm their compliance posture.

However, despite the availability of guidance, organizations frequently discover during detailed assessments that gaps exist in areas such as system hardening, monitoring, access management, or governance oversight.

Supporting Alberta’s Fintech Ecosystem

As an Alberta-based cybersecurity governance and risk consulting firm, Cognitor Consulting Ltd works with financial institutions and regulated organizations to strengthen cybersecurity governance, internal audit capabilities, and regulatory compliance programs.

In recognition of the growing importance of cybersecurity across Alberta’s financial technology sector, Cognitor Consulting will support local organizations by providing fully fee-covered SWIFT Customer Security Programme (CSP) assessments for three Alberta-registered fintech companies.

The assessments will be conducted by a SWIFT-certified assessor and will focus on evaluating the organization’s implementation of the SWIFT Customer Security Controls Framework. The objective is to help participating organizations better understand their current security posture and identify practical steps to strengthen their cybersecurity governance and operational controls.

Participation will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, with the first three eligible Alberta fintech companies securing the fully funded assessments.

Strengthening Security Through Governance and Independent Assessment

Cybersecurity programs are most effective when organizations move beyond policies and documentation to ensure that controls are operating effectively in practice.

Independent assessments play an important role in this process. They provide organizations with an objective evaluation of their security posture and can help leadership teams identify areas where improvements may be required to align with industry expectations and regulatory standards.

For fintech companies operating in rapidly evolving technology environments, early visibility into potential control gaps can significantly reduce operational risk and help strengthen trust with banking partners, regulators, and customers.

How to Express Interest

Because availability is limited, participation will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis, with the first three eligible Alberta fintech companies securing the fully funded SWIFT CSP assessments.

Cognitor Consulting will review submissions and contact eligible organizations with next steps.