Hacktivists Target Critical Infrastructure: Cyber Security Alert

Hacktivists have recently been meddling with online systems controlling water, energy, and agricultural facilities, according to a warning from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. Information security officers were alerted about multiple incidents involving internet-accessible industrial control systems, as reported by the Cyber Centre and the RCMP. One incident resulted in a disruption to water pressure at an undisclosed facility, impacting a community’s service. Additionally, at a Canadian oil and gas company, manipulation of an automated tank gauge led to false alarms. Another case involved unauthorized adjustments to temperature and humidity levels in a grain-drying silo on a Canadian farm, posing potential safety risks. The Cyber Centre, a branch of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), emphasized that while specific organizations may not be primary targets, they could be exploited as “victims of opportunity” by hacktivists seeking to garner attention, discredit entities, and tarnish Canada’s reputation.