On Wednesday, British Columbia’s premier revealed that the government has recently encountered “sophisticated cybersecurity incidents” affecting its networks.
In his statement, Premier David Eby stated that the provincial administration is collaborating with the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security to assess the scope of the cyberattacks and implement necessary security measures.
As of Wednesday, Eby noted that there is no evidence indicating the compromise of sensitive information in the attacks. However, he emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and further efforts are required to ascertain the extent of potential data access.
Eby refrained from disclosing specific details regarding the affected systems or the volume of data impacted by the cyberattack. He mentioned that the government has notified the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, B.C.’s privacy regulator, about the incident.
“I understand that the public may have numerous inquiries about these occurrences, and we are committed to transparency insofar as it does not impede the investigation,” Eby affirmed. “Throughout this intricate process, the government will provide updates and information to the people of British Columbia.”
The announcement of the British Columbia government being hacked follows recent cybersecurity incidents at London Drugs and the B.C. Libraries Co-operative. Addressing reporters last week, Eby mentioned that the province’s chief information officer had instructed public service employees to change their passwords to bolster the security of government email systems.
Regarding London Drugs, Eby clarified that to his knowledge, the mandatory password changes were unrelated to the cyber incident at the Richmond-based pharmacy and retail chain. London Drugs temporarily closed its doors across Western Canada for a week in response to the cyberattack.
Similarly, the B.C. Libraries Co-operative reported being targeted by a hacker last week, who threatened to release user data unless a ransom was paid.
Eby emphasized that safeguarding data and networks remains a paramount priority for his government. “Cybersecurity threats are an ongoing reality of the modern era and are growing in severity,” he stated.