Ottawa, Ontario, December 6, 2018 – One of the top priorities of the new Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cyber Centre) is to inform Canadians about cyber security matters. Today, the Cyber Centre is delivering on this priority by releasing Canada's first National Cyber Threat Assessment. This first public report from the Cyber Centre examines the cyber threats facing Canadian citizens, Canadian businesses and Canada's critical infrastructure.

The National Cyber Threat Assessment identifies current trends in the cyber threat environment and the likelihood that these cyber threats will occur, and how Canadians could be affected.

In addition to publishing the National Cyber Threat Assessment today, the Cyber Centre has also published an Introduction the Cyber Threat Environment. This introductory reference document provides baseline information about the cyber threat environment, including information about cyber threat actors and their motivations, their techniques, and tools in a Canadian context.

Quick Facts

· As cyber security improves, we can disrupt cyber threats and increase the costs and level of difficulty for the most determined cyber threat actors.

· Cybercrime is the cyber threat most likely to affect Canadians and Canadian businesses in 2019.

· Cyber threat actors – of all sophistication levels – will continue to see the value in stealing large amounts of personal and commercial data.

· Canadians are very likely to encounter malicious online influence activity in 2019.

· State-sponsored cyber threat actors will continue to conduct cyber espionage against Canadian businesses and critical infrastructure if they believe it will advance their national strategic objectives.

· It is very unlikely that, absent international hostilities, state-sponsored cyber threat actors would intentionally disrupt Canadian critical infrastructure.

· Sophisticated cyber threat actors will likely continue to exploit the trusted relationships between businesses and their suppliers and service providers.

Quotes

"A safe and secure cyber space is essential for Canada's safety, security, and economic prosperity Through the National Cyber Threat Assessment, the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security has carefully and clearly explained the most serious cyber threats that could affect Canada and Canadians. I encourage all Canadians to read this new report to help build their resiliency against the cyber threats that we face today.."

- Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence

"The Cyber Centre approach of security through collaboration brings together expertise from government, industry and academia to tackle the toughest cyber challenges facing Canada. Many of the cyber threats identified in this assessment can be mitigated through awareness and good cyber security practices. Working together, we can make Canada more resilient against these cyber threats."

- Scott Jones, Head, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security

Part of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), the Cyber Centre is the Government of Canada's authority on cyber security, and is the single, unified government source of expert advice, guidance, services and support on cyber security operational matters.