13 juin 2019 | Local, Sécurité, Autre défense

Canada should think again about having the ability to use offensive cyber weapons: Expert

Canada's electronic spy agency will soon get new authority to launch cyber attacks if the government approves legislation that is in the final stages of being debated. There's a good chance it will be proclaimed before the October federal election.

But a discussion paper issued Wednesday by the Canadian Global Affairs Institute says Canadians need to debate the pros and cons of using this new power.

“This direction not only opens up new possibilities for Canadian defence, it could also represent significant new risks,” says the report. “Without good answers to the difficult questions this new direction could raise, the country could be headed down a very precarious path.”

Among the possible problems: Cyber retaliation. Another: While Canada might try to target a cyber attack, the impact might be bigger than expected — in fact, it might boomerang and smack us back.

Third is the lack of international agreement on the use of cyber weapons (although this is a double-edged sword: Without an agreement there are no formal limits on what any country is forbidden from doing in cyberspace).

“To move forward at this point to implement or even formally endorse a strategy of cyber attack would be risky and premature,” concludes the report's author, computer science professor Ken Barker, who also heads the University of Calgary's Institute for Security, Privacy and Information Assurance. “There are challenging technical controls that must be put in place as well as a critical international discussion on how cyber weaponry fits within the rules of war.”

Barker's paper is in response to the 2017 strategy setting out Defence Department goals, where the possibility of Canada having a cyber attack capability first raised. It wasn't written with Bill C-59 in mind — now in its final stage before Parliament — which actually gives Canada's electronic spy agency, the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), the power to use what's called “active” as well as defensive cyber operations.

In an interview Tuesday, Barker said “in the desire to push this thing they need to have more carefully thought about the questions I raise in this paper.”

“Maybe it's late, but at least it's available.”

He dismisses the argument that by announcing it has an offensive cyber capability Canada will cause other countries to think twice about attacking us with cyber weapons. “They would attempt to find out what Canada is doing to create cyber attack capabilities,” he argued.

“One of the risks once we do endorse this,” he added, “is we open ourselves up to other countries to using Canada as a launching pad for cyber attacks to cover up their involvement, and [then] say ‘That was done by Canada.'”

Nation states are already active in cyberspace. Ottawa has blamed China for the 2014 hack of the National Research Council, Washington suspects China was behind the massive hack of employee files at the Office of Personnel Management, and there is strong evidence that Russia mounted a sophisticated social media attack against the U.S. during the 2016 federal election.

According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, The U.S. the U.K. and Australia say they have used offensive cyber operations against the Islamic State. The U.S.-based Council on Foreign Relations notes that Germany increased its offensive cyber capability after a 2016 attack on the country's legislature blamed on Russia. Last year the New York Times reported the U.S. Cyber Command has been empowered to be more offensive. Meanwhile in April the CSE warned it's “very likely” there will be some form of foreign cyber interference during the run-up to October's federal election here,

The most commonly-cited interference in a country were two cyber attacks that knocked out electrical power in Ukraine — in December 2015 and again in December 2016 — largely believed to have been launched from Russia.

All this is why some experts say Canada has to have an offensive cyber capability to at least keep up. In January, Ray Boisvert, former assistant director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), told a parliamentary committee that “the best defence always begins with a good offense ... “When more than five dozen countries are rumoured to be developing active cyber capabilities, in my view that means we must develop capabilities to respond and in some cases that includes outside our borders.”

Background

In 2017 the Trudeau government announced a new defence strategy that included the promise of “conducting active cyber operations against potential adversaries in the context of government-authorized military missions.”

The same year the government introduced Bill C-59, which in part would give the CSE, which is responsible for securing government networks, the ability to take action online to defend Canadian networks and proactively stop cyber threats before they reach systems here. This would be done as part of new legislation governing the CSE called the Communications Security Act.

That act would give CSE the ability to conduct defensive and “active” cyber operations. Active operations are defined as anything that could “degrade, disrupt, influence, respond to or interfere with the capabilities, intentions or activities of a foreign individual, state, organization or terrorist group as they relate to international affairs, defence or security.”

Both defensive and active cyber operations can't be used against any portion of the global information infrastructure within this country. And they have to be approved by the Minister of Defence.

C-59 has been passed by the House of Commons and slightly amended by the Senate. It was scheduled back in the House last night to debate the Senate amendments.

Despite all the cyber incidents blamed on nation states, Barker is reluctant to say we're in an era of low-level cyber war right now. Many incidents can be characterized as cyber espionage and not trying cause harm to another state, he argues.

https://www.itworldcanada.com/article/canada-should-think-again-about-having-the-ability-to-use-offensive-cyber-weapons-expert/418912

Sur le même sujet

19 novembre 2021 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

NATO Challenge top 10 ready to pitch! / DRDC Outreach Day // Le Top 10 du Défi de l’OTAN est prêt à présenter ! / Journée de sensibilisation de RDDC
NATO Challenge top 10 ready to pitch! The top 10 contestants in the Fall 2021 NATO Innovation Challenge, the Invisible Threat: Countering Cognitive Warfare have been selected. They will present their innovative solutions to a multi-national jury of defence experts on Pitch Day, November 30, 2021. As well as gaining valuable international exposure, the 10 finalists will vie for top 3 cash prizes in this pitch-style event. Thank you to all innovators for participating. Watch live starting at 9 am (EDT) on Youtube. For more information about this challenge please visit NATO Innovation Challenge page. Learn how innovators can partner with Defence Research and Development Canada! Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), the organization that manages the IDEaS program on behalf of the Department of National Defence (DND), will be hosting its 2021 Outreach Day on November 24, 2021. A trusted advisor and collaborative partner, DRDC works as a knowledge integrator for DND and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Like IDEaS, DRDC helps to develop and deliver new technical solutions to DND/CAF, other federal departments, and the safety and security communities. At this event, you will: Get the information you need for your business to partner with DRDC; Become familiar with the eight strategic focus areas in DND's Defence and Security Science and Technology program, to help you prepare for future calls for proposals; Find out about DND's Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program, which is funded at $1.6 B over 20 years; Learn about upcoming opportunities with the Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP); Hear from DRDC's acting Assistant Deputy Minister Sophie Galarneau; Ask your questions about future partnership opportunities Outreach Day will be held virtually on MS Teams on Wednesday, November 24, 2021 from 10:00 to 12:00 hrs EST. Please note that while the presentations will be in English, the question and answer period will be in both official languages. The presentation decks will be made available in French and English, as of November 22. Register for this session using the link below: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/defence-research-and-development-canada-drdc-outreach-day-tickets-207400529567 Le Top 10 du Défi de l'OTAN est prêt à présenter ! Les 10 meilleurs candidats du Défi de l'innovation de l'OTAN Automne 2021, la menace invisible : contrer la guerre cognitive ont été sélectionnés. Ils présenteront leurs solutions innovantes à un jury multinational d'experts de la défense lors de l'évènement de présentation, le 30 novembre 2021. En plus d'acquérir une précieuse exposition internationale, les 10 finalistes se disputeront les 3 premiers prix en argent lors de cet événement de style présentation. Merci à tous les innovateurs d'avoir participé. Regardez en direct à partir de 9 h (HAE) sur YouTube. Pour plus d'informations sur ce défi, veuillez visiter la page du Défi de l'innovation de l'OTAN (en anglais seulement). Découvrez comment les innovateurs peuvent s'associer à Recherche et développement pour la défense Canada! Recherche et développement pour la défense Canada (RDDC), l'organisation qui gère le programme IDEeS au nom du ministère de la Défense nationale (MDN), organisera sa journée de sensibilisation le 24 novembre 2021. Conseiller de confiance et partenaire collaboratif, RDDC travaille en tant qu'intégrateur de connaissances pour le MDN et les Forces armées canadiennes (FAC). À l'instar d'IDEeS, RDDC aide à développer et à fournir de nouvelles solutions techniques au MDN/FAC, à d'autres ministères fédéraux et aux communautés de sûreté et sécurité. À l'occasion de cette journée de sensibilisation vous pourrez : Obtenir l'information dont votre entreprise a besoin pour établir un partenariat avec RDDC; Vous familiariser avec les huit domaines d'intérêt stratégique du programme de science et de technologie pour la défense et la sécurité du MDN, ce qui vous aidera à vous préparer en vue des prochains appels de propositions; Vous renseigner sur le programme Innovation pour la défense, l'excellence et la sécurité (IDEeS) du MDN, dont le financement s'élève à 1,6 milliard de dollars sur 20 ans; Vous renseigner sur les possibilités à venir dans le cadre du Programme canadien pour la sûreté et la sécurité (PCSS); Écouter la sous-ministre adjointe par intérim de RDDC, Sophie Galarneau; Poser des questions à propos des possibilités de partenariat à l'avenir La journée de sensibilisation se déroulera de façon virtuelle au moyen de MS Teams, le mercredi 24 novembre 2021 de 10 h à 12 h (HAE). Veuillez noter que les présentations seront en anglais, par contre, la période de questions et réponses se fera dans les deux langues officielles. Quand aux documents de présentation, ils seront disponibles en français et en anglais à partir du 22 novembre. Pour vous inscrire, veuillez utiliser le lien ci-dessous: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/defence-research-and-development-canada-drdc-outreach-day-tickets-207400529567
13 mars 2024 | Local, Terrestre

Darren Fisher and Andy Fillmore to hold a media availability on defence innovation in Halifax Regional Municipality
On Friday, March 15, 2024, Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth–Cole Harbour, and Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax, will hold a media availability on defence innovation in the Halifax Regional Municipality. They will make an announcement on behalf of the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence.
6 juin 2018 | Local, Naval

RAPPORT SOMMAIRE FINAL Atelier de consultation sur l’industrie maritime régionale (MCMO-005)
Dans le cadre des efforts continus visant à établir les stratégies du programme maritime national, le Groupe de travail sur la modernisation des approvisionnements maritimes (MAM) a tenu quatre ateliers régionaux d'un bout à l'autre du Canada, de novembre 2017 à avril 2018. Collectivement, les ateliers régionaux comprenaient la participation de près de 100 représentants de l'industrie (constructeurs de navires régionaux, fournisseurs, entreprises de génie maritime et chantiers de réparation), sans compter les homologues provinciaux et les représentants d'organismes de développement régional. Les contributions de l'industrie aux séances ont permis au groupe de travail sur la MAM de mieux comprendre les enjeux et les préoccupations de l'industrie maritime canadienne à l'égard des quatre thèmes (présentés ci-dessous). Les séances ont permis de relever un certain nombre de points récurrents, tout en ciblant de nouvelles idées et approches qui amélioreraient les pratiques fédérales en matière d'approvisionnement maritime. https://achatsetventes.gc.ca/donnees-sur-l-approvisionnement/appels-d-offres/PW-18-00830335

Toutes les nouvelles