Protesters with Guy Fawkes masks are illuminated by flares in this screengrab from a YouTube video posted from an Anonymous-affiliated account. Anonymous, a cyber vigilante group, took credit for Wednesday's attack on federal government computers. We see a hal-dozen persons dressed in black robes and wearing masks that feature wide pencil-thin moustaches with a third moustache down the chin. One of the men is holding a brightly lit flare that dominates much of the picture. Surrounding the men are billowing smoke clouds.

Protesters with Guy Fawkes masks are illuminated by flares in this screengrab from a YouTube video posted from an Anonymous-affiliated account. Anonymous, a cyber vigilante group, took credit for Wednesday's attack on federal government computers.
Photo Credit: Canadian Press/Handout / Op Cyber Privacy

Ottawa downplays cyberattack effects

Canadian Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney says no personal information was compromised in Wednesday afternoon’s cyberattack that crashed federal government websites and e-mail for nearly two hours.

It was the most high-profile cyberattack in Canada since Chinese state-backed hackers broke into the National Research Council last year.

A cyber vigilante group know as Anonymous took credit for the attack, saying it was a protest against the recent passage of a federal anti-terrorism bill known as C-61.

The group has carried out several other cyberattacks against governments, corporations and individuals in the name of free speech, Internet liberties and anti-capitalist causes.

The government announced $58 million this year’s federal budget to improve Ottawa’s cyber security and guard against future attack.

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags:

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.