Canada's Cyber Crime Battle Hindered by Bureaucracy and Staff Shortages

Canada's federal government struggles to combat cyber crime due to excessive bureaucracy and staff shortages, according to Auditor General Karen Hogan. Issues in response, coordination, and information sharing hinder efforts. Organized crime, notably from Russia and Iran, poses a threat to national security. New strategies are promised to address these gaps.

Canada's federal government does not have the capacity and tools to effectively fight cyber crime in part because of excessive bureaucracy and staff shortages, the country's top watchdog said on Tuesday. In an official report, Auditor General Karen Hogan said she found breakdowns in response, coordination, tracking, and information sharing between and across the organizations responsible for protecting Canadians.

Last August, Canada's national signal intelligence agency said organized cyber crime was set to pose a threat to national security and economic prosperity over the next two years. It identified Russia and Iran as safe havens where criminals can operate against Western targets. Hogan said many complaints about cyber crime had been sent to the wrong organisation and noted some were never answered.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has experienced delays in deploying an information technology system meant to make it easier for victims to report crimes and provide a shared cyber crime database for law enforcement agencies. As of January 2024, 30% of positions across all the RCMP's cyber crime teams were vacant.

In response, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Ottawa would soon launch a new strategy to protect economic interests from cyber threats.