Ransomware attacks becoming common, more sophisticated in Canada: agency

Indigo, Sobeys, Suncor Energy Inc. and Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children have all been victims of ransomware attacks over the last year.

The head of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security says ransomware attacks are getting more common and sophisticated, but there’s a lot the country could do to better defend itself.

“The threat is real, the threat is growing and we can’t talk enough about it,” said Sami Khoury, whose organization is aimed at providing the federal government with information technology security and foreign signals intelligence.

While ransomware attackers used to break into systems and take control, Khoury has now noticed many have changed their methods.

Instead of weaseling their way into systems and requesting cash just to give back control, Khoury’s found many attackers are now focused on stealing data and other sensitive information they can threaten to release or sell.

“They recognize that over time companies have become a little bit more sophisticated about having backups, so even if they lock the information technology, they can recover it from a backup,” he said.

“What they’re going after now is information.”

Such incidents have become so common that Khoury considers cybercrime, including ransomware, the No. 1 cybersecurity threat facing the country.

Book retailer Indigo, grocer Sobeys, oil and gas producer Suncor Energy Inc. and Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children have all been victims of ransomware attacks over the last year.