Governor General’s network hacked

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon’s office confirmed Thursday it is investigating a hacking attempt on its internal network, announcing that the breach occurred due to an incident of “unauthorized access.”

The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General (OSGG) said it is working with the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security to investigate the matter, including taking immediate action to strengthen its network.

The centre confirmed it was looking into a “recent cyber incident,” noting that the federal government deals with “cyber risks and threats every day.”

It would not comment further on specific details related to how the internal network, which is typically a private network accessible only to staff and other employees, was breached.

“While the nature and the scope of the breach are still under investigation, the OSGG is continuing its work with experts and pursuing further network improvements as needed. In addition, the OSGG has been in communication with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) in response to this incident,” the Governor General’s office said.

The commissioner is authorized to conduct investigations into how personal information is handled within government departments and institutions that are subject to Canada’s Privacy Act. But the OSGG does not fall under the purview of the act, meaning the privacy commissioner does not have the jurisdiction to investigate the

The OSGG is continuing its work with experts and pursuing further network improvements as needed.

GOV. GEN. MARY SIMON’S OFFICE

matter itself.

“We welcome the opportunity to engage with the Governor General’s office and to offer any support and advice they request,” said Vito Pilieci, a senior communications adviser with the OPC.

“Our discussions with the OSGG are confidential and I don’t have further details to provide at this time.”

The OSGG, led by the secretary to the governor general, Ian McCowan, is primarily responsible for supporting Simon as she fulfils her constitutional, state and ceremonial duties.

While it remains unclear what information may have been compromised and why, the Centre for Cybersecurity said Thursday that threats can emerge from “system or application vulnerabilities” or from “deliberate, persistent and targeted attacks by outside actors.”

Simon’s office said it is continuing to work with experts to improve its security measures.