Canada wants companies to report cyber attacks and hacking incidents
Canadian businesses operating in critical infrastructure sectors would be required to report cyber attacks to the federal government and would have to fortify their cyber systems under a new law introduced on Tuesday.
The legislation identifies finance, telecommunications, energy and transportation sectors as being vital to national security and public safety, but stops short of naming any companies.
"There was a lot of thought given into identifying which sectors are vital to national security and public safety," Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told reporters, adding that operators of critical infrastructure would be identified after consulting the sectors.
The new legislation would also give Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government broader powers to secure the country's telecommunications systems against cyber security threats.
"This new legislation ... will help both the public and private sectors better protect themselves against cyberattacks," Mendicino said.
Faster networks like 5G have helped Canada's critical infrastructure sectors to become more interconnected and integrated, but they are also more vulnerable to newer forms of cyber threats, the government said.
Hacking incidents are on the rise, but they remain under-reported because companies are not required under current laws to disclose cyber attacks when they happen, a senior official said.
Bill C-26, which has not yet been debated or passed, would also bar telecom companies from using the products and services of high-risk suppliers, according to a statement from the government.
The statement did not name any companies, but Canada last month banned the use of 5G gear made by China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd (HWT.UL) and ZTE Corp (000063.SZ) to protect national security, joining the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand, which have already banned the equipment.
"There was a lot of thought given into identifying which sectors are vital to national security and public safety," Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told reporters, adding that operators of critical infrastructure would be identified after consulting the sectors.
The new legislation would also give Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government broader powers to secure the country's telecommunications systems against cyber security threats.
"This new legislation ... will help both the public and private sectors better protect themselves against cyberattacks," Mendicino said.
Faster networks like 5G have helped Canada's critical infrastructure sectors to become more interconnected and integrated, but they are also more vulnerable to newer forms of cyber threats, the government said.
Hacking incidents are on the rise, but they remain under-reported because companies are not required under current laws to disclose cyber attacks when they happen, a senior official said.
Bill C-26, which has not yet been debated or passed, would also bar telecom companies from using the products and services of high-risk suppliers, according to a statement from the government.
The statement did not name any companies, but Canada last month banned the use of 5G gear made by China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd (HWT.UL) and ZTE Corp (000063.SZ) to protect national security, joining the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand, which have already banned the equipment.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
