Threat of hacking prompts tax agency to take some online services down

OTTAWA Canadians planning to file their taxes online could face difficulties as the threat of hacking prompted the Canada Revenue Agency to take down the service indefinitely.

A notice was posted on the agency’s website that says it detected “an internet vulnerability” and took down many of its services, including electronic tax filing.

The services include ones such as “My Account,” “My Business Account,” “Netfile,” “EFILE” and “Auto-Fill My Return.”

The notice says people can still complete their forms, but will have to wait to file.

A spokesman for the Canada Revenue Agency says the tax filing services were taken offline Friday as a precaution to protect Canadians’ tax information.

Patrick Samson says the CRA isn’t aware of any personal information being affected, but says the agency will monitor the situation.

“Digital services were taken offline as a precaution, not as the result of a successful hack or breach,” Samson says in an email.

Digital services will remain offline until officials are satisfied there is no longer a security risk, he says.

The CRA website itself remains online as Samson says it was determined it wasn’t a risk.

The CRA was not the only government website offline over the weekend.

Statistics Canada remained down Sunday. On Friday the agency tweeted it was due to “circumstances beyond our control.”

The agency and the federal government did not immediately respond to emails Sunday for details on the cause of the shutdown.