The Canadian Cyber Center has warned that sophisticated Chinese hackers are actively scanning Canadian cyber defenses throughout 2024, targeting critical institutions and infrastructure.
See also: US: Warns about Chinese hackers “Typhoon”
The scanning has targeted many sectors, including government agencies, federal political parties, the House of Commons and Senate, critical infrastructure, defense organizations, media, and think tanks.
While these scans do not necessarily indicate a breach, they often precede malicious cyber.
The Cyber Center describes these scans by Chinese hackers as the equivalent of someone examining the security measures of a building, checking for vulnerabilities in its defenses. This activity is part of a broader pattern of Chinese campaigns, which surpass other threats in volume, complexity and range of targeting.
See also: USA: Chinese hackers Salt Typhoon breached Internet service providers
The warning comes amid heightened concerns about Chinese interference in Canadian affairs. The country is conducting a high-profile public investigation into foreign interference in recent elections.
Chinese cyber often operate under the direction of PRC intelligence agencies, seeking information that aligns with Beijing's national policy goals.
The Cyber Center has noted that while the immediate threat posed by Chinese hackers to Canadian infrastructure may be lower than for U.S. targets, Canada would likely be affected by any disruption to U.S. systems, due to the interconnected nature of their infrastructure.
The Cyber Center advises organizations:
- Be prepared to isolate critical infrastructure elements from the internet
- Implement improved network monitoring.
- Deploy multi-factor authentication
- Create and maintain offline backups
- Maintain updated incident response plans
See also: US: Bill to address threats from Chinese hackers
Chinese hackers have become the subject of intense interest from both the global community and cybersecurity. Many countries have reported incidents of cyberattacks attributed to Chinese-based hacking groups ,often aimed at exfiltrating sensitive data or disrupting infrastructure networks. These attacks have significant implications for national security, the economy, and privacy, prompting governments and companies to strengthen their protections against such threats. While there is not always tangible evidence of direct government involvement, the skills and resources available to these hackers often indicate a high level of organization and expertise.
Source: cybersecuritynews
🔒 Protect your privacy with Proton VPN
Swiss VPN from the creators of Proton Mail — strict no-logs policy, strong encryption, and built-in NetShield that blocks ads, trackers, & malware.
- ✔ No-logs, based in Switzerland (except 14-Eyes)
- ✔ NetShield: blocks ads, trackers & malicious domains
- ✔ Covers all devices — free version available
The link is an affiliate link — SecNews may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. It does not affect the independence of our article writing.
