On Tuesday, The Daily Beast reported that an unspecified foreign power has made moves to target the upcoming federal elections in Canada.
"Threat actors are seeking to influence the Canadian public and interfere with Canada's democratic institutions and processes," said Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) spokesperson Tahera Mufti to the Beast in an emailed statement. The agency did not offer details on the specific nature of the political targeting.
The Communications Security Establishment (CSE), which overseas Canadian cybersecurity, has reportedly also briefed security-cleared officials of federal political parties on "covert and overt" attempts to influence the campaign, so that they can "strengthen internal security practice and behaviours."
It is currently unknown what foreign power is behind the plot. But Canada has tense foreign relations with Russia and China — two nations known for state-sponsored cyberattacks. Experts expect that these attacks may grow worse in coming months.
Canada's federal elections will take place on October 21.