Today, the Honourable David McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, issued the following statement:
"Malicious cyber activity targeting Canada's critical infrastructure-like power, water, health, finance and transportation-are on the rise and are a real and urgent threat. These malicious activities are conducted by both cyber threat actors with ties to nation states and non-state actors and can disrupt essential services Canadians rely on every day. Any disruption to critical infrastructure is not only a threat to public health and safety, but also a threat to public confidence, the environment and the economy.
"State-sponsored cyber actors have the capability to target Canada's critical infrastructure, pre-positioning themselves to disrupt or destroy critical services in times of crisis or conflict. Cyber criminals and other non-state cyber actors continue to target critical infrastructure for financial gain, in support of geopolitical or ideological interests, or for personal reasons, such as acts of revenge by disgruntled former employees or customers.
"This is a call to be ready. Too often, hostile actors gain access to critical infrastructure through weaknesses that are preventable. We urge all critical infrastructure operators in Canada, particularly municipalities and private enterprises, to be vigilant and take immediate action to strengthen their defences. Adopt best practices in cyber security, like the Cyber Centre's Cyber Security Readiness Goals and secure-by-design principles. Report incidents promptly and work closely with government agencies to prevent and respond to threats.
"The Government of Canada is working tirelessly to detect, respond to, and mitigate threats. We are committed to transparency and collaboration, ensuring that Canadians and our critical infrastructure sectors have the information and support they need to stay secure. We will continue to work with domestic partners and industry on countering and mitigating cyber threats to Canada's most essential systems.
"Protecting our critical infrastructure is essential for keeping Canadians safe and our economy strong. We call on all sectors and citizens to remain alert and take action-together, we can defend against cyber threats and safeguard our nation's future."
