The House of Commons and a Canadian agency specializing in cybersecurity are investigating an important theft of data perpetrated by an unidentified “malicious actor” which targeted personal information belonging to public service employees.
According to an internal email obtained by CBC Newsthe House of Commons alerted its employees on Monday about a data leak, while specifying that a malicious actor had managed to operate a recent flaw at Microsoft in order to obtain unauthorized access to a database containing information used to manage computers and mobile devices.
According to the email sent by the House of Commons to its employees, the cyber attack took place on Friday.
Some of the information obtained by the computer hacker is not accessible to the public, always according to the email. These include names, employment titles, professional addresses and electronic addresses of employees as well as information concerning their computers and mobile devices managed by the House of Commons.
The Center for Telecommunications Safety Canada (CST) claims to be aware of cyber attack and collaborate with the House of Commons to support.
In its most recent national cyber man assessment, the Canadian Cybersecurity Center indicates that Canada is considered a target of choice by criminals. (Archives photo)
Photo : getty images/istockphoto / peshkov
The CST defines a malicious actor as a group or an individual who acts with malicious intention
in order obtain unauthorized access to the data, devices, systems and networks of victims or to alter its operation
.
The organization indicates that it has not been able to confirm the identity of the authors of the attack. A recent threat report published by the CST However, reveals that hostile countries, notably the People’s Republic of China (RPC), Russia and Iran, are increasingly at the origin of the cyberrencies weighing on Canada.
It is difficult to attribute the responsibility of a cybercident. Cybermenace surveys require resources and time, and many factors must be taken into account in the process of allocating the responsibility of a malicious cyberactivity
specifies the CST in a written declaration.
In its email sent Monday, the House of Commons asks its employees to be particularly vigilant since the information obtained in the context of data leak could be used in the framework of scams or to target and usurp the identity of parliamentarians.
In a written declaration, the House of Commons declares that it collaborates with its national security partners to investigate this case, but that it will not disclose any information, including the number of employees concerned, due to the current investigation.
High increase in cyberrencies
In its most recent national cyberrency assessment, the Canadian Cybersecurity Center indicates that Canada is considered to be a choice
by criminals and states seeking to disrupt foreign political systems.
The organization says it has also noted a high increase in the number and severity of cybercidentials
Over the past two years.
Opponents are increasingly daring and aggressive
writes Rajiv Gupta, director of the Canadian Center for Cybersecurity. Cybercriminals are gaining more and more profit from new illicit commercial models to access malware and use artificial intelligence to improve their skills
continues Mr. Gupta in the document.
The report indicates that China represents the most sophisticated and active threat to Canada, stressing that over the past four years, at least 20 networks associated with Canadian government organizations and ministries have been compromised by malicious actors in the People’s Republic of China.
With information from Kate McKenna of CBC News
