THE WATCH STAFF
Canada has told its military to become more “assertive” in cyberspace as non-kinetic attacks increasingly become a facet of modern warfare, according to a report from the TV network Global News.
The Canadian TV network based its report on a “cyber playbook” it obtained that was prepared by the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence (DND).
The document was provided to Defence Minister Anita Anand and noted that threats facing Canada’s computer networks have “evolved significantly” since the government released its 2010 cyber strategy, according to Global News.
The DND said its primary focus is defending Canada’s computer networks against cyberattacks.
“Being assertive doesn’t just mean going on the offensive, but ensuring our networks, systems and applications are well-protected,” DND spokesperson Jessica Lamirande said in a statement to Global News. (Pictured: Maj. Chris Chapman, a Canadian Armed Forces cyber plans officer, participates in exercise Cyber Impact 22 in Buffalo, New York, on March 9, 2022.)
Anand’s office “clearly recognizes” cyberspace as a domain for warfare and operations that Canada must face, according to the document, Global News reported.
Sami Khoury, the new head of the center charged with protecting Canada’s government networks, told the Cyber UK conference on May 11, 2022, that the past “eight months have been somewhat a dizzying experience of a number of cyber incidents,” according to a May 12, 2022, story in the National Post newspaper. Khoury was named head of the Communications Security Establishment’s (CSE) Canadian Centre for Cyber Security in August 2021. The CSE reports to Anand.
There have been other signals that the United States’ northern neighbor and North American Aerospace Defense Command partner is stepping up its cyber capabilities.
- In June 2021, a team from the Royal Canadian Navy topped the United States Defense Department’s (DOD) annual Cyber Flag 21-2 training exercise, besting professionals from across the U.S. military’s joint services, other agencies and international partners.
- In April 2022, Ottawa published its position on cyber warfare and international law. “The document hints at what Canada is willing to do in both cyber espionage and warfare, but also when the government would consider a cyberattack to violate Canadian sovereignty,” Global News reported.
- Canada joined South Korea and Luxembourg as the latest members of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, according to a May 5, 2022, news release from the organization.
Anand singled out cyberattacks as a national security threat in a May 10, 2022, speech. The “cyber playbook” prepared for the minister highlights the U.S. concept of “deterrence through resilience,” pointing out that the philosophy could be reflected in Ottawa’s cyber priorities.
“Basically, it [deterrence through resilience] means being able to deny actors access because of good cybersecurity practices,” Stephanie Carvin, a former Canadian Security Intelligence Service analyst who teaches at Carleton University, told Global News. “But also, if they are able to get in, to ensure that we have a quick response, that government systems or private sector systems can come back online quickly.”
IMAGE CREDIT: CAPT. JOE LEGRO/U.S. ARMY