Hackers Target Critical Infrastructure in a Series of Industrial Breaches

Pierluigi Paganini of Security Affairs reports that Canadian authorities are investigating a wave of cyber intrusions that breached key components of the nation’s critical infrastructure. The targets were water, energy, and agricultural systems.

According to an alert from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, hacker-activists gained access to industrial control systems and manipulated core operational functions, creating false alarms, service disruptions, and potentially hazardous conditions.

The alert, issued jointly with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, detailed three confirmed incidents that involved tampering with industrial systems.

These incidents reflect an escalating pattern of politically or ideologically motivated cyber activity aimed at drawing attention and damaging Canada’s reputation.

One altered water pressure levels at a treatment facility, which degraded service for residents. Another targeted an oil and gas firm’s automated tank gauge, generating false alarms. A third case saw hackers interfere with temperature and humidity levels at a grain drying facility, potentially creating unsafe operating conditions.

The Cyber Centre warned that insufficient coordination among agencies and unclear cybersecurity responsibilities leave vital systems vulnerable.

Governments, municipalities, and private operators were urged to strengthen oversight in sectors such as water, food, and manufacturing, where protective frameworks are often lacking.

The recommended defenses involve legal teams to the extent that they interact with industrial sector cybersecurity experts. They include removing direct internet exposure of industrial control systems devices, enforcing VPNs and multi-factor authentication, running intrusion prevention systems, and performing regular vulnerability testing and tabletop exercises.

Organizations were also advised to maintain current inventories of internet-accessible devices and report suspicious activity immediately to federal authorities.

The agency’s guidance reflects a nationwide effort to bolster resilience against hackers threatening Canada’s critical infrastructure.