A statement released on Friday by Canada's electronic spy agency revealed that hackers will try to influence Canada's 2019 elections adding that it planned to advise political parties next week on how to guard against cyber threats.
The agency said that it had not detected any nation-state attempts to interfere in prior to the Canadian elections but saw risk from hacktivists.
A report released on Friday revealed that back in 2015 during Canada’s federal election, which brought Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals to power, the election was targeted by low-sophistication cyber threat activity that did not affect the outcome of the election.
Speaking during a news conference, CSE chief Greta Bossenmaier revealed that CSE will be offering Cyber advice and guidance to parliamentarians and to Canada's political parties, she also emphasized on the need for teamwork in maintaining Cyber security, adding that no one organization can do it alone.
Concerns over interference in democratic processes have come to the fore amid allegations of Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election last November and the French election in May.
U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russia hacked and leaked Democratic Party emails as part of an effort to tilt the presidential election in favor of Donald Trump, something Russia denies.
Political parties were told to protect themselves against potential cyber-attacks by a British intelligence agency in March told political parties to protect themselves from potential cyber-attacks.
This comes after the French government in March dropped plans to let its citizens abroad vote electronically in this month's legislative elections because of concern about the risk of cyber-attacks.
Imran Ahmed of Miller Thomson, who is a Cyber security lawyer said that engaging with political parties was ideal but the spy agency ought to have a plan in place including the expected standards for political parties to follow.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-canada-cyber-threats-idUSKBN1972H1
