New Delhi, Delhi, India

Canada's top cyber security centre has warned of high-tech threats that the country faces from state-run programs from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. 

Advertisment

"The number of cyber threat actors is rising, and they are becoming more sophisticated", said the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, as reported by news agency AFP. 

Also read | Bangladeshi teenager awarded Children's Peace Prize for fighting cybercrime

The report also said these nations are likely building capacities to disrupt key Canadian infrastructure, like the electricity supply to push their motive. 

Advertisment

Also read | FBI warns of 'imminent' cyber crime threat to hospitals in US

It also expected targetting intellectual property related to the fight against the pandemic for boosting their own response to the crisis. 

Cyber spying and online influence campaigns are some of the major threats that Canadians and their companies face, it said. 

Advertisment

"The most sophisticated capabilities belong to state sponsored cyber threat actors who are motivated by economic, ideological, and geopolitical goals," the centre said.

"We assess that almost certainly the state-sponsored programs of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea pose the greatest state-sponsored cyber threats to Canadian individuals and organizations."

The centre also expected these state-funded attackers to continue conducting "commercial espionage against Canadian businesses, academia, and governments".

It said that the pandemic has caused a rise in teleworking and internet activity amongst the Canadians, which expose them to many cyber threats.