Canada Govt, Military Websites Hacked | Pro-Indian Hacker Claim Responsibility

The federal government is dealing with cyberattacks this week and a hacker group in India claims it has caused chaos in Ottawa — but Canada’s signals intelligence agency says the ‘nuisance’ attacks likely haven’t put private information at risk.

Canada Govt, Military Websites Hacked | Pro-Indian Hacker Claim Responsibility

Amidst Canada’s worsening diplomatic ties with India, the federal government is now coping with cyber attacks. This week, a pro-India hacker group claims it has caused chaos in Ottawa as they temporarily disabled the official website of the Canadian Armed Forces. The Canadian Air Force website was also taken down, besides the Canadian election democracy website. The hacker group later expressed their displeasure with the allegations raised by Trudeau against New Delhi and said they are against Khalistani terrorists.

A cyber law expert is joining us on the broadcaster. Kushboo, what do you make of this situation that certain government bodies found themselves in Canada? Okay, I think we’ve lost that line with Kushboo, and it seems we have Group Captain UK Devar, a defense expert, also joining us now. Group Captain Devar, are you able to hear me? Oh yes, what do you make of this situation that has emerged in Canada, where some government websites were hacked?

Uday, a very, very lamentable situation has developed wherein the government of Canada is claiming that some of its government sites, including Department of Defense sites, have been hacked by outside agencies. Indeed, it shows the degree of non-professionalism that is prevailing in Canada in all government departments, especially in their e-governance system. Yes, some Indian sites are claiming that they have done it. It has to be verified by the government of India or by the government of Canada. If some Indian mischievous site has done this, then definitely the government of India does not encourage any such activity by any India-based groups, and we will definitely deal with such groups who, in case they are based in India, as per Indian law, we go as far as to control these mysterious, mischievous, and anonymous groups who keep hacking sites, especially government sites in India, following the protocol laid down for all international governance norms.

Our government does not support any such activity or does not encourage any such activity. Yes, the government of Canada is claiming that their Department of Defense homepage has been hacked. It slowed down for some time, a very surprising occurrence because normally, very fine air gaps are maintained, firewalls give protection, and hacking devices are installed in all government departments. They monitor their e-sites regularly for any security leakage, any disturbance, any occurrence or extra, unnecessary movement of e-signals through their circuits. Of course, the mitigating factor is that Canada is claiming that it has not affected the internal military sites of the Department of Defense, which speaks very poorly of Canada’s government and their way of e-governance.

Yes, Uday, absolutely. Group Captain, we do believe Group Captain Devar that reportedly a group has claimed responsibility, saying they were upset with the Trudeau government’s allegations. They have taken a stance against Khalistani terrorists, which is why they did this. Such people who are domain experts will confirm that any group which is based in another country outside India can also claim that they are and show some signature e-trace, saying that they are based in India. So, they may not be physically based in India, probably are outside India, but claiming that they are originating the hacking signals from India is a very common method. They are all hackers. A real, true professional hacker will never claim his source.

Okay, let me bring back in Kushboo if she can hear me now. Kushboo, the question I was trying to ask you earlier was on this situation. What do you make of it, the fact that so many websites were taken down in this manner at the same time? A citizen will be facing situations, so I think all the countries, including Canada and everybody, has to put a lot of measures when it comes to the security of their systems and that data and critical infrastructure. Because we are living in the age of technology and information, and any information or technology hiccup here and there can have a very impactful effect. It can create a situation larger than a war at the border.

But at the same time, the issue we’re talking about today, it’s too soon for you to say from where it has come and who is the one behind that or whether a country can be the one behind something like that. Because that subject has to be analyzed properly. Just by making a tall claim that they are from somewhere, it’s very easy for anybody to orchestrate a crime and claim it. That this is what I’m doing with an arm from this outfit of this country. But to come to a conclusion, there has to be an investigation that has to be done. Because as rightly said by an earlier panelist as well, for a foreign hacker or a hacker group to claim something like that, one cannot have a conclusive thing to prove it. So that’s what I think. We should wait and watch, and maybe a proper investigation should go on from this side, from Canada, so that they can understand from where this has come up, and some conclusion can come up this way. The discussion can go on at the international level, concerning Canada or India.

But apart from that, if I don’t stray and then innately question, then yes, it’s a serious question. Security of public departments or websites is of utmost importance, and it’s high time that all governments put focus on that so that something more severe is not done. Though they are claiming that the data is not breached, and the websites which are there, there has been a denial of service attack, but there has been no breach or infiltration when it comes to data of critical importance or things like that. But that situation might also come up with a difficulty level is that low. So I think that’s where the focus should be now. Put entire focus when it comes to robust security measures to all government websites, to even private parties, for private businesses. That’s something which is a serious issue which needs utmost attention right now. That’s my personal view.

Yeah, so Kushboo, also the fact is that reportedly there is this group now that has come out and said they were against Khalistani terrorism. They were upset with Trudeau’s allegations, which is why they did this. But then again, I’m saying that tomorrow, if I make a statement that I have done this, the law or the investigation, everything goes with the investigation. It has to be done on that aspect, whether I am the one who’s actually behind that. Just by making a claim doesn’t mean the person has done it. That’s another thing. I mean, I can’t come to a conclusion by somebody is making a meeting and statements.

In the time, if that’s the statement, then maybe go on more in detail about how those things were being done and provide more evidence that you were the one behind that, and the intention is clean, and whether it is on behalf of the government or not. And if something like that, as it is happening, is a punishable option, it is recognized by India as well. India doesn’t encourage anything to do with hacking or such kind of activities. So we are also very strong if some requests come. I don’t think I will also back when it comes to helping out any country in an investigation. But I think it’s too soon for you to rely on anybody’s statement without any proper evidence in place.

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