Russian hackers may target Canada's oil and gas industry

Russian-aligned actors may carry out a cyber attack on Canada's oil and gas sector, given the country’s active support for Ukraine.

That's according to a report by the Canadian Center for Cyber Security, seen by Ukrinform.

"We assess there is an even chance of a disruptive incident in the oil and gas sector in Canada caused by Russia-aligned actors," the message reads.

The most likely target for cyber attacks are operational networks that monitor and manage large industrial facilities.

"It is difficult to overstate the importance of the oil and gas sector to national security because much of our critical infrastructure depends on oil and gas products to operate," the statement reads.

According to the center's experts, Russia’s hackers may be aiming to disrupt the operations of relevant services for the sake of psychological influence on the population, “ultimately to weaken Canadian support for Ukraine."

The likelihood of the cyber attack is estimated at 50/50 (even chance).

Canada is the world’s fourth largest oil producer. The oil and gas sector employs about 600,000 people and accounts for 5% of the country's GDP.