Federal agency touts operation of cybersecurity sensors across the North
Federal agency touts operation of cybersecurity sensors across the North
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/cse-sensors-north-9.7264185
Publish Date: 2026-07-12 06:00:00
Source Domain: www.cbc.ca
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Following a series of high-profile cybersecurity incidents in recent years, a federal agency is now operating tools across the North with the aim of blocking malicious activity by cyber criminals and foreign governments.
The Communications Security Establishment (CSE) touts in its latest annual report the operation of digital sensors on territorial government IT systems. The Northwest Territories was the first to have the sensors rolled out on its computer networks in late 2022 followed by the Yukon and Nunavut in 2024.
Bridget Walshe with CSE’s Canadian Centre for Cyber Security said the sensors are a type of software which can be installed on laptops, servers and in the cloud. The software checks computer systems to see if they are up to date and if there are any vulnerabilities while also scanning for suspicious activity.
The information is sent to the centre in Ottawa where it is reviewed by analysts. Any issues are then relayed back to the government agency which is affected to determine what actions to take.
CSE has not released any specific information on the effectiveness of the sensors in countering cyber attacks in the North.
However, Walshe said the operations led to 150 “prevention and detection” reports shared with territorial and provincial governments, which account for just five per cent of sensor deployments.
The North has seen a number of high-profile incidents in recent years which underscore the need to secure computer networks, including a ransomware virus that crippled Nunavut government operations in 2019.
An intrusion in 2022 cost the government of the Northwest Territories more than $700,000 to contain.
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