Cybercrime remains major cyber threat to Canadians: Federal report

Cybercrime remains the number one cyber threat to Canadians, according to the government’s latest National Cyber ​​Threat Report.

Additionally, state-sponsored cyber programs by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea continue to pose the country’s top strategic cyber threat, the report says. “Critical infrastructure remains a prime target for both cybercriminals and state-sponsored attackers.”

This is part of the latest National Cyber ​​Threat Assessment released today by the federal Canadian Center for Cyber ​​Security, part of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE).

The 40-page report covering 2023-2024 states:

• • • Ransomware is a persistent threat to Canadian organizations. Cybercrime continues to be the cyberthreat activity most likely to affect Canadians and Canadian organizations. Ransomware is arguably the most devastating form of cybercrime facing Canadians because it impacts organizational functions. Cybercriminals deploying ransomware are evolving within a growing and sophisticated cybercriminal ecosystem and will continue to adapt to maximize profits.
    • Critical infrastructure is increasingly at risk from cyber threat activity. Cybercriminals exploit critical infrastructure because downtime can harm industrial processes and their customers. State-sponsored attackers gather information through espionage, pre-position future hostilities should they occur, and target critical infrastructure as a form of power projection and intimidation. However, we assess that state-sponsored cyber threat actors are very likely to refrain from intentionally sabotaging or destroying Canada’s critical infrastructure in the absence of direct hostilities.
    • State-sponsored cyberthreat campaigns are affecting Canadians. We rate state-sponsored cyber programs by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea as the top strategic cyber threats to Canada. State-sponsored cyberthreat operations against Canada represent an ongoing and persistent threat, often a subset of the larger global campaigns conducted by these states. State actors can target Canadian diaspora populations and activists, Canadian organizations and their intellectual property for espionage, and even target Canadian individuals and organizations for financial gain.
    • Cyber ​​threat actors are trying to influence Canadians and reduce their trust in the online space. Over the past two years, we have observed that the use of misinformation, disinformation, and malicious information (MDM) by cyber attackers has evolved. Machine learning-enabled technology makes fake content easier to create and harder to detect. Moreover, the state is increasingly actively using his MDM to further its geopolitical interests. The Canadian estimates that her MDM exposure will almost certainly increase over the next two years.
    • Disruptive technologies bring new opportunities and new threats. Digital assets such as cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance are both targets and tools for cyber attackers to enable malicious cyber threat activities. Machine learning has become commonplace in consumer services and data analytics, but cyber attackers can trick and abuse this technology. Quantum computing could threaten current systems of maintaining trust and confidentiality online. Encrypted information stolen by attackers today can be retained and decrypted when quantum computers become available.

In today’s speech on reporting to the Canadian Club of Ottawa, CSE Chief Caroline Xavier said online fraud is the most common type of cybercrime facing Canadians. Ransomware is highlighted because it can have the greatest impact on the services Canadians rely on. For example, she cited the temporary closure of Humber River Hospital in Toronto last year.

“It may be tempting to stop reading, unplug all your devices, and throw them in the nearest trash can,” writes the center’s director, Sami Corley, in the report’s foreword. “Or, more realistically, shrug it off and continue exactly as you did before. Instead, I hope you see this report as a call to action.”

In an interview, Khoury said individuals, businesses and governments have a role to play in making Canada more resilient to cyberattacks. “Organizations need to invest in layered security,” he said. “There is no silver bullet. You cannot get rid of cybercriminals by doing one thing. Go to places, hopefully there are other places outside of Canada.”

He urged companies to turn to the Cyber ​​Center for online advice and resources. The center can also provide customized advice, he added.

The report notes that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February gave the world a new understanding of how cyber activity is being used to support wartime operations. “Russian-backed malicious cyber operations against Ukraine have disrupted or attempted to disrupt government, financial and energy organizations and are often consistent with routine military operations. has spread beyond Ukraine and has also affected critical European infrastructure: for example, Russian attacks on European satellite internet providers have caused major outages in several European countries.”

The report also warns that over the next two years, it is very likely that the gap between an open and transparent internet and a sovereign internet will continue to widen. This is because the United Nations has started negotiations on the possibility of creating an international cybercrime treaty.

“Russia and China are investing in their own internet infrastructure and, along with other countries, are advocating for standardization of information and communication technologies,” the report notes. “This allows for state-led internet management in each country.” This year, China introduced a new international organization dedicated to internet governance, with members from 20 countries, evolved from the World Internet Conference. I have pointed out that

“Internet governance may seem abstract and completely disconnected from everyday life, but competing technology ecosystems and different information environments impede the free flow of information and build a sense of distrust. , makes the fight against misinformation and disinformation more difficult,” the report said.

(more coming)