B.C. government says cyber incident not a ransomware attack, details still scarce

The B.C. government is keeping tight-lipped on details around an apparent cyberattack affecting its digital networks.

The province revealed late Wednesday that it had identified “sophisticated cybersecurity incidents involving government networks.”

On Thursday, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said cybersecurity experts had yet to find any evidence that sensitive information such as health records were accessed or compromised.

“Their first priority is to ensure the integrity of the system, to protect the system, to protect the information, that is what they have been doing,” Farnworth said.

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The province is working with Cybersecurity Canada and police to investigate the incident, which Farnworth confirmed was not a ransomware attack.

Farnworth also could not speak to who the attackers were.

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But officials have not clarified exactly when the attack happened, with Farnworth telling reporters only that it had been “recently” identified.

“The challenge with going out right away and telling people that is the moment you do that, if you haven’t secured everything if you haven’t understood what has taken place you are then making the system more vulnerable to outside interference,” he said.

Farnworth said security upgrades to the province’s networks in 2022 allowed officials to detect the attempt had happened.

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BC United Official Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon said the government owes it to the public to provide more detail.

He pointed to the recent London Drugs cybersecurity incident, noting the company provided near-daily updates on the situation.

“We know that for at least eight days they have known this was an issue,” Falcon said.

“And last night they quietly released a statement in the midst of a Canucks playoff hockey game, which is part of their pattern of always being secretive about things and not transparent.”

In its Wednesday media release, the province said it has notified B.C.’s Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and that it would “be as transparent as we can without compromising the investigation.”