British Columbia is facing multiple “advanced cybersecurity incidents” on government networks, the premier said this week.
Prime Minister David Eby said in a statement on Wednesday that there was currently no evidence that sensitive information had been compromised, and the investigation was ongoing, stressing that further efforts were needed to confirm any possible data access.
The specific nature of the attack remains unclear, but its “sophisticated” nature and involvement with government networks have led fans to theorize that it was a state-sponsored espionage operation seeking political intelligence. has been done.
“We know the public has many questions about these cases, and we intend to be as transparent as possible without compromising the investigation. As this complex work progresses, the government will We will continue to keep British Columbians informed and up-to-date as much as possible,” said Eby.
The provincial government's investigation involves the Canadian Cyber Security Center and other agencies, and formal information has been provided to the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Neither agency immediately responded to Cyber Express' requests for comment.
Opposition Spur in the House
B.C.'s political opponents got into a heated debate during question period Thursday morning, a day after the province revealed multiple cybersecurity incidents within its network.
British Columbia United MLA Todd Stone criticized the government, claiming it “hid up a massive cyberattack against the provincial government for eight days.” Stone's accusations came against the backdrop of a memo from the Office of the Chief Information Officer directing all state employees to immediately change their passwords.
British Columbians are understandably concerned about sensitive information and wondering if their information has been compromised by foreign state-sponsored cyberattacks. So I ask the Prime Minister today: Will he reveal who is responsible for this attack? ” Stone demanded.
Stone pointed to the timing of Eby's Wednesday statement, suggesting it was discreetly released “while everyone was preoccupied with last night's Canucks game.”
“How much sensitive personal information was leaked and why did the Prime Minister wait eight days during a Canucks game to issue a sensitive statement disclosing this very serious breach to British Columbians?'' ?” an opposition MLA asked.
In response to BC United's criticism, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth accused Stone of “playing politics.”
“We take advice from the Canadian Cyber Security Service, which deals with these types of issues on an ongoing basis. We take advice from them at every turn when it comes to protecting public information. I will never take advice from the opposition. All they want is to play politics,” Mr Farnworth retorted amid the chaos in the House of Commons.
“When an incident like this occurs, the first thing that happens is to protect the system, Mr. Speaker.The protection of information is carried out by the Honorable Speaker, a technical expert working on the advice of Canada's Cyber Security System. I will.” Farnworth explained.
“And, Honorable Speaker, the reason they do something like that is because if you go out and provide information before it's done, you're actually potentially putting people's information at risk. is.”
Multiple cybersecurity incidents have rocked B.C. in the past few weeks
The latest revelations of cyberattacks on government networks come on the heels of a series of cyberattacks facing Canada's westernmost province.
British Columbia-based retail and pharmacy chain London Drugs announced on April 28 that it will be closing stores across Western Canada due to a cybersecurity incident. The impact was so great that even mobile phones were forced to go offline, and pharmacies could only meet patients' “urgent” needs on-site.
Speaking to reporters late Thursday afternoon, Farnworth said there was no evidence linking multiple cybersecurity incidents targeting the state's networks to the events that led to the multi-day closure of a drug store in west London. did.
“At this time, there is no information to suggest a link. Once an incident is detected, our technical security team quickly secured the system and ensured its integrity, while Canadian Cyber Security Services responded to the situation. “We will work closely with you,” he explained.
“A comprehensive multi-agency investigation is underway, but there is currently no indication of a link to the London drugs case.”
On the same day that the London Drugs cyberattack was revealed, another Western Province organization, BC Libraries, was told that hackers had tried to extort payment for data leaked from a newly commissioned server, and that payment was not made. reported a cybersecurity incident in which he threatened to release data if the company did not do so.
China's involvement?
The development follows an official investigation in Canada that found previous attempts by China to interfere in elections had failed. The Chinese government refuted these claims. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) recently released its annual report warning that China's continued interference in Canada's political affairs is putting democratic consolidation at risk.
“Canada's strong democratic system, advanced economy, innovative research sector, and first-class academic institutions make it an attractive target for cyber-based espionage, sabotage, and foreign-inspired activities. “All of these pose a significant threat to Canada's national security,” the report states. .
The report identified China as a state-based threat conducting widespread cyber espionage across a variety of sectors, including government, academia, private industry, and civil society organizations.
