A new academic analysis has identified at least 75 foreign digital operations of a malicious political or industrial nature directed at Canada since 2010 _ from attempts to steal COVID-19-related research to the targeting of Uyghur human rights activists.
The report by researchers at the University of Quebec at Montreal's Observatoire des conflits multidimensionnels found cyberespionage accounted for more than half of these episodes.
The centre brings together Canadian and international researchers studying how foreign players try to destabilize states, weaken societies and institutions, and undermine critical systems through cyberattacks, disinformation and political interference.
The analysis focuses on what the centre considers geopolitical or strategic cyberincidents _ events not primarily linked to criminal or domestic political activity but rather global rivalries and strategic competition.
It says these events originate most often outside Canada, usually orchestrated by foreign governments for political, economic or other purposes.
Targets include Canadian public authorities, the general public, research institutions and companies, individuals or international organizations based in Canada.