Canada’s key infrastructure is facing a new wave of cyber threats as hacktivists attempt to tamper with systems that control vital services like water, energy, and agriculture.
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cyber Centre) has issued an urgent alert warning that internet-accessible control systems are being manipulated by malicious actors. According to the alert, both the Cyber Centre and the RCMP have recorded several recent incidents involving unauthorized interference.
In one case, hackers disrupted water pressure at an unidentified facility, temporarily affecting a community’s water supply. Another incident saw cybercriminals manipulate automated tank gauges at a Canadian oil and gas company, triggering false alarms. A third attack targeted a farm, altering temperature and humidity levels inside a grain drying silo, creating potentially hazardous conditions.
Authorities warn that while individual organizations may not be specifically targeted, they could easily become “victims of opportunity.” These hacktivists often act to gain media attention, damage reputations, and erode public confidence in Canada’s technological resilience.
The Cyber Centre, part of the Communications Security Establishment, urges all organizations in critical sectors to strengthen their cybersecurity measures and restrict internet access to essential control systems.