The Canadian government issued a warning on Friday, October 25th, that hackers supported by the Chinese Communist Party have been scanning the network defense systems of important public sectors in recent months, which could be a precursor to malicious activities.
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS) stated in a release that a sophisticated “threat actor” supported by the Chinese Communist Party has conducted extensive reconnaissance scanning of numerous institutions in Canada over the past few months.
“These reconnaissance scans have been ongoing throughout the year 2024, with the majority of affected organizations being Canadian government departments and institutions, including federal parties, the Senate, and House of Commons,” the CCCS stated. “They have also targeted dozens of other organizations, including democratic institutions, key infrastructure, defense departments, media organizations, think tanks, and NGOs.”
The CCCS clarified that “reconnaissance scanning” does not necessarily mean a breach has occurred. However, it is used to gather information, identify potential vulnerabilities, and could serve as a precursor to further malicious actions.
The center explained, “This is akin to someone walking around a building, checking for alarms or security cameras, or trying to open doors and windows to see which ones are unlocked.”
The CCCS urged organizations to enhance their network defenses.
Canada is conducting a public inquiry into foreign interference, revealing that the Chinese Communist Party attempted to intervene in the past two elections.
Last week, several British officials informed Bloomberg that state-backed Chinese hackers have extensively attempted to infiltrate the UK’s critical infrastructure networks, with potential successful penetrations allowing them to lurk within the systems, awaiting the right moment to act.
The insiders cautioned that the Chinese Communist Party’s related hacker activities are comprehensive, surpassing publicly known attacks on the UK Parliament or Defense Ministry. Such activities may have been ongoing for several years.