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A "highly sophisticated Chinese state-sponsored actor" recently managed to hack into the computer systems at Canada's National Research Council, confirms the country's chief information officer, Corinne Charette. The attack was discovered by Communications Security Establishment Canada. In a statement released Tuesday, Charette confirms that while the NRC's computers operate outside those of the government of Canada as a whole, the council's IT system has been "isolated" to ensure no other departments are compromised. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is in Beijing, and was scheduled to hold a press conference on his visit Tuesday, but that briefing was abruptly cancelled. No reason was immediately given. For its part, the NRC says in a statement released Tuesday morning that it is now attempting to rebuild its computer infrastructure and this could take as much a year.
The NRC works with private businesses to advance and develop technological innovations through science and research. The NRC says it has already been in contact with many of its "clients and stakeholders," but it could take as long as a year to secure the system. This is not the first time the Canadian government has fallen victim to a cyberattack that originated in China. In January 2011, the federal government was forced to take the Finance Department and Treasury Board — the federal government's two main economic nerve centres — off the internet after foreign hackers gained access to highly classified federal information. The attack also targeted Defence Research and Development Canada , a civilian agency of the Department of National Defence that assists in the scientific and technological needs of the Canadian Forces. The attacks were traced back to China.
CBC News - Chinese cyberattack hits Canada's National Research Council
The NRC works with private businesses to advance and develop technological innovations through science and research. The NRC says it has already been in contact with many of its "clients and stakeholders," but it could take as long as a year to secure the system. This is not the first time the Canadian government has fallen victim to a cyberattack that originated in China. In January 2011, the federal government was forced to take the Finance Department and Treasury Board — the federal government's two main economic nerve centres — off the internet after foreign hackers gained access to highly classified federal information. The attack also targeted Defence Research and Development Canada , a civilian agency of the Department of National Defence that assists in the scientific and technological needs of the Canadian Forces. The attacks were traced back to China.
CBC News - Chinese cyberattack hits Canada's National Research Council
