By Canadian Press

CSE issued prompt warning when threat to critical infrastructure first detected

Apr 13, 2023 | 1:34 PM

WASHINGTON — Canada’s electronic spy agency says it issued a prompt warning when it first learned that hackers had gained access to the country’s gas distribution network. 

Communications Security Establishment officials won’t say, however, precisely when that warning, known as a flash, happened. 

Leaked U.S. intelligence revealed that pro-Russian hackers accessed an unnamed gas company’s systems back in February, gaining the ability to increase valve pressure and trigger an emergency shutdown.

Sami Khoury, head of the CSE’s Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, says the agency took action in as timely a way as possible.

But Khoury and associate head Rajiv Gupta say Canada is a potential target for cyberattacks, particularly given the country’s full-throated support for Ukraine. 

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The CSE is also blaming a separate Russian hacking group for a string of so-called distributed denial-of-service attacks on Canadian websites in recent days. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2023.

The Canadian Press