The Communications Security Establishment released a ransomware bulletin on Monday that pointed to attacks against Canadian, citing that more than half of known attacks were critical infrastructure providers (and many attacks are not reported). A good example was the cyberattack that targeted Newfoundland and Labrador’s health system, the details of which the premier is still keeping silent about.

To that end, CSE is imploring Canadians to better secure themselves against these kinds of ransomware attacks, because they’re getting more aggressive—not to mention that insurance against them is starting to move toward a policy of not paying ransoms, or of encouraging a lot more due diligence on the part of companies rather than just letting the insurance pay the ransom and being done with it. As well, the proposed digital privacy bill (which should be making its return to the new parliament in the coming days) also had requirements for companies to be better prepared for such attacks, so there is awareness there, but whether companies are taking it seriously remains to be seen (and hopefully not when it’s too late).

The most interesting part of the CSE report, however, is the fact that they are letting it be known that they are also targeting foreign hackers to “impose a cost” for cybercrimes, and this shift to an offensive position is very, very interesting, and a sign that Canada is not playing around.

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1467962734671187972

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1467964370344947714

Good reads:

• Maclean’s compiles what we know about the omicron variant so far, and even if it’s milder but more transmissible than delta, things will get worse.
• Following complaints, it looks like there will be some clemency for those having problems with the ArriveCan app when they arrive at the borders.
• The government is expected to re-table their bill to reduce the number of mandatory minimum sentences for drug offences today.
• François-Philippe Champagne touted a deal that could see a Canadian plant manufacture Merck’s COVID antiviral pills, if they get Health Canada approval.
• Champagne also insists that his phone is constantly buzzing from CEOs calling him, and that major investments are on the way to Canada.
• Mark Miller says that the government will release more residential school documents, and says the Liberals weren’t told about a lawsuit appeal being dropped.
• Pascale St-Onge says that Canada is considering a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics, along with allies, after the US declared they would be doing so.
• Canada’s ambassador to China, Dominic Barton, announced he will leave the post at the end of the year.
• Two military sexual assault complainants say their cases were shut down because their alleged perpetrators wouldn’t cooperate with investigators.
• It’s thought that the cracks discovered in the tails of our Cyclone helicopters may result from them folding to fit into the hangars on our frigates.
• Erin O’Toole won’t talk about the vaccine status of four absent MPs, and one of them is raising a privilege question about the medical exemption documentation.
• Former staffers of Conservative MP Shannon Stubbs are claiming a toxic work environment, and Erin O’Toole has called for an investigation.
• Andrew Leach explains Alberta’s recent revenue boon, and why things aren’t really the boom that Jason Kenney is trying to spin it as.
• Kevin Carmichael hears from private sector economists on why the Bank of Canada should raise interest rates as soon as possible.
• Paul Wells ponders the Liberals’ post-Trudeau future.
• Wells also considers the absurdity of two climate-related Cabinet committees, and why there doesn’t seem to be any clarity over how they will divvy their workloads.

Odds and ends:

My Loonie Politics Quick Take explains the new compromise around the Winnipeg Lab documents because MPs chose theatrics over serious NSICOP study.

Want more Routine Proceedings? Become a patron and get exclusive new content.