A new report by the federal auditor general has highlighted significant deficiencies in the federal government’s response to the rising number of dangerous cyberattacks. The report, presented in the House of Commons, revealed that coordination among agencies responsible for safeguarding the government’s IT systems during active attacks was inadequate, leading to prolonged access to personal information by attackers.
According to the audit, although the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE), and Shared Services Canada had the necessary tools for cyber defense, not all government departments implemented the recommended security measures. This lack of cybersecurity defense coordination was identified as a threat to critical information protection and cybersecurity risk management.
The audit disclosed that CSE’s sensors blocked approximately 2.4 trillion suspicious cybersecurity events from April 2023 to March 2024, while Shared Services Canada intercepted about 6.6 trillion suspicious cybersecurity events from October 2023 to September 2024. Despite these defenses, successful cyber breaches have occurred in government entities, such as the National Research Council Canada and Global Affairs Canada.
The report also highlighted the inconsistent utilization of cyber tools across federal organizations. While some departments deployed cybersecurity defense sensors provided by CSE, a significant portion did not use Shared Services Canada’s enterprise internet service for secure connectivity. This inconsistent approach affected the government’s ability to detect and defend against cyber threats efficiently.
Furthermore, the audit revealed delays in information sharing and coordination during active cyberattacks, leading to prolonged access to sensitive data by attackers. The report recommended a reassessment of cybersecurity incident management practices by the involved departments, emphasizing the importance of enhancing cybersecurity defenses and real-time threat detection.
In response to the audit findings, Shared Services Canada and CSE were urged to improve their inventory management practices for government IT devices to enhance vulnerability assessments and cybersecurity preparedness. The government officials recognized the need to invest in cybersecurity as a national priority to safeguard personal information and maintain public trust in government institutions. CSE has identified China as a significant cyberthreat to Canada, along with other countries like Russia, Iran, North Korea, and India.