BC Accuses State Actor of Conducting Several Cyberattacks
B.C. says there is evidence a state actor was behind cyberattacks on the government in April and early May.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth told reporters on May 10 that the attempt to breach government systems bore “the hallmarks of a state actor or a state-sponsored actor.”
The cyberattacks were first made public by Premier David Eby on May 8 in a statement that called the attacks “sophisticated” and said that they targeted government networks.
said. “We have also informed the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.”
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS), a national agency that belongs to the Communications Security Establishment, provides guidance, services, and support to government on cybersecurity.
CBC News.
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Ms. Salter said the hackers have been directed by a foreign state, but she was not able to say which state. The investigation is ongoing, she added, saying that she could not identify which government systems hackers tried to access.
Mr. Eby said there was no evidence that sensitive information had been compromised.
“However, the investigation is ongoing and we have more work to do to determine what information may have been accessed,” his statement said.
The premier said his government would provide updates and information as the investigation unfolds.
An investigation into an attempted breach began on April 10, according to the CBC. On April 11, after the cybersecurity incident was verified, the CCCS was informed. The government also reported it to the Microsoft Detection and Response Team.
Another incident happened on April 29, Ms. Salter told reporters, with a third attack coming on May 6. She said the same threat actor was responsible for all three incidents.
targeted on April 19 and the hacker asking for a ransom in exchange for not releasing data.
saying the incident is still under investigation.
asked Mr. Farnworth about a memo sent out last week that directed government employees to change passwords. Mr. Stone asked why the government waited so long to inform the public.
Mr. Farnworth said the government had been advised by cybersecurity experts that the priority was protecting the system and its information.
MPs to Investigate Chinese Cyberattacks
News of B.C.’s cyberattack comes amidst concerns raised by MPs who voted on May 9 to investigate the Chinese regime’s cyberattacks against parliamentarians.
initiated the motion after he revealed on April 29 that he and 17 others had been targeted in 2021 by a Beijing-backed hacker group called Advanced Persistent Threat 31 (APT31).
The hacking attempts were linked to a campaign against members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group of cross-party legislators focusing on ways to tackle the threats from Beijing.
The investigation will be led by a House of Commons committee.
The Canadian Press and Andrew Chen contributed to this report.
