The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security has issued a warning about hacktivists who are interfering with online systems responsible for managing water, energy, and agricultural facilities. Information security officers were alerted to multiple incidents involving internet-accessible industrial control systems, as reported by the Cyber Centre and the RCMP in recent weeks.
One reported incident detailed how tampering with water pressure in an undisclosed facility led to service disruptions in a community. Another case involved the manipulation of an automated tank gauge, triggering false alarms at a Canadian oil and gas company. Additionally, there was a third incident where unauthorized changes to temperature and humidity levels in a grain-drying silo on a Canadian farm posed potential safety risks.
The Cyber Centre, a branch of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), highlighted that while specific organizations might not be primary targets, they could fall prey to opportunistic hacktivists seeking to garner media attention, tarnish reputations, and undermine Canada’s standing.