Statement by the Chief Information Officer for the Government of Canada

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 29, 2014) - Government of Canada computer networks, like those of other governments and the private sector, are under increasing threat of cyber-attack. The Government of Canada has robust systems and tools in place to monitor, detect and investigate potential threats and takes decisive measures to address and neutralize them. In addition, the Government provides information to Canadians and businesses on how to protect themselves.

Recently, the Government of Canada, through the work of the Communications Security Establishment, detected and confirmed a cyber intrusion on the IT infrastructure of the National Research Council of Canada by a highly sophisticated Chinese state-sponsored actor.

While the National Research Council's networks do not currently operate within the broader Government of Canada network, since the detection and confirmation of the cyber intrusion, the National Research Council's networks have been isolated from the broader Government of Canada network as a precautionary measure. We have no evidence that data compromises have occurred on the broader Government of Canada network.

The National Research Council has taken action to protect its information holdings. The Government of Canada's security agencies and IT experts are supporting the National Research Council in their management of this intrusion and in building a new secure IT infrastructure.

Please see the statement of the National Research Council of Canada for more information.

If there is a discrepancy between any printed version and the electronic version of this statement, the electronic version will prevail.