Feds mum on hacking case

OTTAWA – The federal government says it was aware hackers had breached security at a domestic manufacturer of software used by big energy companies, but declined to comment on a report that a Chinese group could be responsible.

Calgary-based Telvent Canada Ltd., which is owned by France’s Schneider Electric SA, warned customers about the attack, which hit operations in the U.S., Canada and Spain, the cyber security news site KrebsOnSecurity. com reported on Wednesday.

“The Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre is aware of this incident and is already working with stakeholders in government and the private sector,” public safety ministry spokesman Jean-Paul Duval said in an email late on Thursday.

KrebsOnSecurity.com cited experts who said digital fingerprints pointed to Chinese hackers.

If a Chinese group were involved, it could complicate matters for the government, which is deciding whether to approve a $15.1 billion bid by CNOOC Ltd. to take over Nexen Inc.

Some legislators are wary of the proposed takeover, in part because of what they say are China’s unfair business practices.

Duval declined to comment when asked whether the government thought Chinese hackers were responsible.

Candice Bergen, an aide to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, did not directly address the incident when asked about it in Parliament on Friday. She said Ottawa had recently spent $90 million on measures to combat electronic threats.

The opposition NDP said the Conservatives need to pay more attention to security concerns when looking at foreign takeover bids.

“Cyber security is something we have to pay attention to and that ... includes how deals are set up and trade deals are set up and acquisitions are made,” said Paul Dewar, the NDP’s foreign affairs critic.