Cyberactivity targeting elections on rise, says report from Canada's e-spy service
A new federal report says cyberthreat activity targeting elections is increasing worldwide, and is now more likely to be seen in Canada's next federal ballot.
The report by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security found that in 2022 slightly over one-quarter of all national elections globally had at least one reported cyberincident.
The centre says state-sponsored cyberthreat actors with links to Russia and China carried out most of the attributed activity aimed at foreign elections since 2021.
Russia and China's cyberthreat activity includes attempts to conduct denial-of-service attacks against election authority websites, accessing voters' personal information and scanning for vulnerabilities in online election systems.
However, the centre cautioned that online perpetrators are getting better at covering their tracks, and most cyberthreat activity targeting elections remains unattributed.
The report also highlights the emerging phenomenon of generative artificial intelligence, which can produce various types of content, including text, images, audio, and video, sometimes called "deepfakes."
"This synthetic content can be used in influence campaigns to covertly manipulate information online, and as a result, influence voter opinions and behaviours," the report says.
"Despite the potential creative benefits of generative AI, its ability to pollute the information ecosystem with disinformation threatens democratic processes worldwide."
In most cases, it is unclear who is behind AI-generated disinformation, the report adds.
"However, we assess it very likely that foreign adversaries or hacktivists will use generative AI to influence voters ahead of Canada's next federal election."
Cyberthreat actors are already using the technology to pursue strategic political objectives abroad, the report notes. For example, pro-Russia players have used generative AI to create a deepfake of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy surrendering following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"We assess it very likely that the capacity to generate deepfakes exceeds our ability to detect them. Current publicly available detection models struggle to reliably distinguish between deepfakes and real content."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2023.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Walking pneumonia is surging in Canada. Is it peaking now?
CTVNews.ca spoke with various medical experts to find out the latest situation with the typically mild walking pneumonia in their area and whether parents should be worried.
Minister calls GST holiday, $250 cheques for 18 million Canadians 'a targeted approach'
Women and Gender Equality and Youth Minister Marci Ien is calling the federal government's proposed GST holiday and $250 rebate cheques a 'targeted approach' to address affordability concerns.
'Her shoe got sucked into the escalator': Toronto family warns of potential risk of wearing Crocs
A Toronto family is speaking out after their 10-year-old daughter's Crocs got stuck in an escalator, ripping the entire toe area of the clog off.
Prime Minister Trudeau attends Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in Toronto with family
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a Swiftie. His office confirmed to CTV News Toronto that he and members of his family are attending the penultimate show of Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour' in Toronto on Friday evening.
NEW Thinking about taking an 'adult gap year'? Here's what experts say you should know
Canadian employees are developing an appetite for an 'adult gap year': a meaningful break later in life to refocus, refresh and indulge in something outside their daily routine, according to experts.
Canada's tax relief plan: Who gets a cheque?
The Canadian government has unveiled its plans for a sweeping GST/HST pause on select items during the holiday period. The day after the announcement, questions remain on how the whole thing will work.
Colleges and universities face job cuts, deficits amid international student cap
Ontario's colleges and universities say the federal government's cap on international students is taking a toll on the higher education sector as some schools face growing deficits, layoffs and, in at least one case, a temporary campus closure.
The Thriftmas Special: The benefits of second-hand holiday shopping
The holidays may be a time for family, joy and togetherness, but they can also be hard on the wallet.
The Philippine vice president publicly threatens to have the president assassinated
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said Saturday she has contracted an assassin to kill the president, his wife and the House of Representatives speaker if she herself is killed, in a brazen public threat that she warned was not a joke.
Local Spotlight
Video shows octopus 'hanging on for dear life' during bomb cyclone off B.C. coast
Humans weren’t the only ones who struggled through the bomb cyclone that formed off the B.C. coast this week, bringing intense winds and choppy seas.
B.C. man reunites with Nova Scotia stranger, 56 years after being saved from drowning
After driving near the water that winter day, Brian Lavery thought he saw a dog splashing in the waves – then realized it was way too cold for that.
'It's nice to just talk to people': Toronto podcaster prank calling Nova Scotians
Toronto radio and podcast host Jax Irwin has recently gone viral for videos of her cute -- and at times confusing -- phone conversations.
'I'm just tickled pink': Childhood friends from New Brunswick named Rhodes Scholars
Two young women from New Brunswick have won one of the most prestigious and sought-after academic honours in the world.
B.C. man to cycle length of New Zealand to raise funds for Movember
Stretching 3,000 kilometres from the tip of New Zealand to its southernmost point, with just a bicycle for transport and a tent to call home, bikepacking event Tour Aotearoa is not for the faint of heart.
'She's a people person': Urban chicken inspires positivity in B.C. neighbourhood
When he first moved to his urban neighbourhood, Barry Devonald was surprised to be welcomed by a whole flock of new neighbours.
'A little piece of history': Winnipeg homeowner finds 80-year-old letters hidden in walls
When George Arcioni began renovating his kitchen last summer, he didn’t expect to find a stack of letters hidden in the wall behind his oven.
Love story: Nova Scotia couple gets engaged at Taylor Swift’s Toronto show
A Nova Scotia couple fulfilled their wildest dreams Thursday night when they got engaged at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Toronto.
WATCH 'Fireball' meteor lights up Calgary's sky
Some Calgary residents caught what appeared to be a meteor streaking across the sky early on Wednesday morning.