Canada to strengthen energy sector cyber defense
Confidential meeting on issue with main industry players took place in June 2023.
On November 25, 2023, The Canadian Press revealed the contents of a Public Safety Ministry memo, regarding the government’s energy cybersecurity strategy. According to the document, a secret meeting on the status of cyber threats took place in June 2023 with Canada’s major industry players. The Ministry of Public Safety, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), the Canadian cybersecurity agency, organized the gathering.
The memo states that Suncor Energy and Nunavut, two major energy sector players in Canada, were victims of cyberattacks in 2023. To better respond to threats, the ministry seeks to build stronger relationships with the industry, universities, provinces, and territories, within a common forum.
The forum’s goal is to “speak with corporate management, not just technical experts who are already aware of the threats. Communicating with senior executives is essential in integrating security into the business world and guaranteeing a collective approach to strengthening our resilience,” explains the memo.
The Canadian Federal Parliament is currently working on an “essential cyber systems protection act.” The bill aims to establish a regulatory framework to guarantee the cyber protection of critical private sector companies under federal law.