‘High risk’: Canada, allies warn of state-sponsored cyberthreats to civil society

The advisory warns cyber actors backed by Russia, China and other countries are increasingly targeting non-profit and advocacy groups, journalists and other civil society members.

Cyber actors backed by Russia, China and other foreign adversaries are increasingly targeting non-profit and advocacy groups, journalists, human rights activists and other members of civil society, cyber agencies from Canada and other allies say.

A joint advisory issued Tuesday from Canada’s Communications Security Establishment, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and FBI, and counterparts from the United Kingdom, Japan, Estonia and Finland warn such groups face a “high risk” of cyberattacks, as many have a “low defense capacity.”

The advisory says “industry reporting indicates a consistent pattern of state-sponsored cyber actors targeting specific segments of civil society,” and that the threat is growing.

The CSE and its partners say the threat is “predominantly” coming from cyber actors sponsored by Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

Civil society groups at high risk include “non-profit, advocacy, cultural, faith-based, academic, think tanks, journalist, dissident, and diaspora organizations, communities, and individuals involved in defending human rights and advancing democracy,” the advisory states.

“Often, these organizations and their employees are targeted by state-sponsored threat actors who seek to undermine democratic values and interests,” the advisory says.

Foreign interference and attempts to disrupt democracy have become key issues for Canada and its allies in recent years, and is the subject of an ongoing public inquiry in Canada.

At the same time, agencies and technology companies like Microsoft have warned state-sponsored cyberattacks are continuing to grow in scope, and their targets are expanding beyond governments and critical infrastructure.