CSE alerts Parliamentary officials of Chinese hacking attempt in 2022

Canadian MPs and senators were shocked to learn that China-backed hackers had been targeting them, with some only finding out recently despite the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) sharing information about the incident with parliamentary officials back in June of 2022.

The issue of when parliamentarians were informed was raised in the House of Commons, prompting CSE spokesperson Ryan Foreman to clarify that they had shared “specific, actionable technical information on this threat” with both House and Senate IT officials. The information was shared immediately after receiving a report from the FBI that included the names of the targeted parliamentarians.

Conservative MP Garnett Genuis, co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), revealed that he and other members of the alliance only learned about their email accounts being targeted last week. Liberal MP Judy Sgro, who was also affected by the hacking, expressed her expectation that the government would ensure necessary information is provided to protect MPs and their systems.

Despite the breach, the CSE and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security assured that their risk-mitigation measures successfully prevented any attack, with no cybersecurity impacts reported to any members or their communications. However, MP John McKay, another IPAC co-chair, seemed unaware of this development.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc has requested an exact chronology of when the information about the hacking was received and if proper protocols were followed. The situation has raised concerns about cybersecurity and the need for better communication and protection for Canadian officials.