Professor Ivan Ivanov
Professor Ivan Ivanov, a specialist in organizational communication, says communicating during crises is the key to managing them successfully. But studies mainly look at cyberattacks from a technological or financial perspective — very few delve into the role communication plays in managing crises resulting from attacks. This is why a new project led by Professor Ivanov, with funding from a SSHRC Insight Grant, will explore communications and interactions between the many actors involved in preventing and responding to different types of cyberattacks (phishing, ransomware, malware, etc.).

The project dovetails with Ivanov’s ongoing research interests. When he joined uOttawa’s Department of Communication in 2016, he realized Canada’s capital was an ideal spot to study how all sorts of crises are managed. In 2019, he received an initial Insight Grant to study how public relations are handled in the digital era. One of the key findings of that study: crises are normal parts of social and organizational reality, not accidents. From that point on, cybersecurity became a top research area for him.

Partnership with the uOttawa-IBM Cyber Range

With a new Insight Grant valued at $330,780 over five years, Ivanov will be able to tackle a vital topic for society: crises caused by cyberattacks. In 2024, over 70% of Canadian businesses reported having experienced at least one major cyberattack. And the costs of these attacks are staggering: in 2025, economic losses due to ransomware attacks were estimated at US$265 billion worldwide.

This project developed through Ivanov’s work on the steering committee for the uOttawa-IBM Cyber Range — a space that provides an immersive environment to learn how to shore up defences against cyber threats. Along with co-investigator Natalie Melanson Breau (Université de Moncton) and collaborators Dorien Kartikawangi (Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia), Guy-Vincent Jourdan (uOttawa) and Max Lê (Lê & Co. Health Communication Santé), Ivanov will carry out this study at the Moncton airport, the Indonesian ministry of communications and digital affairs, and the General Campus of The Ottawa Hospital. The goal is to work with the uOttawa-IBM Cyber Range to develop three simulation programs that will help partner organizations develop more effective communications strategies. This will bolster their crisis management practices in the face of constantly shifting cyber threats.

Findings critically important for society

This project is expected to have a considerable impact. The role of communication in managing crises related to cyberattacks remains underexplored, with most research in the area focusing on technical and computing considerations. The simulation programs will educate specialists in cyberattack prevention and management within civil aviation, health care and the public service, both now and in the future.

With cyber threats on the rise, Ivanov’s research highlights just how crucial communication is in managing crises. His collaborative work will provide organizations practical tools to help them better understand how to manage crises related to cyber threats — and, in turn, how to respond to these situations more effectively. Thanks to this project, institutions in Canada and around the world will be more resilient in facing the digital challenges of tomorrow.