Action Plan 2010-2015 for Canada's Cyber Security Strategy

Action Plan 2010-2015 for Canada's Cyber Security Strategy PDF Version (236 KB)

ISBN: 978-1-100-21895-3

Introduction

Information technology is highly integrated into our everyday lives. As a society, we have gone digital.  We play, learn, socialize, communicate, and do business online. While cyberspace brings significant benefits, our ever increasing reliance on it is creating new and significant vulnerabilities.

In line with the Government of Canada's (the Government) commitment to keep the nation safe, secure, and prosperous, we launched Canada's Cyber Security Strategy (the Strategy) on October 3, 2010. The Strategy is designed to guide the Government's efforts to make cyberspace more secure for all Canadians.

The Strategy is composed of three pillars:

• Securing Government systems
• Partnering to secure vital cyber systems outside the federal Government
• Helping Canadians to be secure online

This document, the Action Plan 2010-2015 for Canada's Cyber Security Strategy (the Action Plan), outlines the Government's plan to implement the Strategy and meet our ultimate goal of securing our cyberspace for the benefit of Canadians and our economy. Substantial progress has been made to date with respect to the implementation of the Strategy.  The Government has already completed many activities, for example:

• In 2011, the Government launched Shared Services Canada (SSC) to streamline the way we manage federal IT telecommunications, data centres, and email. The consolidation under SSC is making our information technology infrastructure more secure. 
• In 2011, the Government clarified the roles and mandates for the Communications Security Establishment Canada and the Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre (CCIRC), embedded at Public Safety Canada (PS), to improve Canada's ability to identify, prevent, and mitigate cyber security incidents. 
• In 2011, the Government launched GetCyberSafe, our national public awareness campaign on cyber security that provides Canadians with the information they need to keep themselves and their families safe online.
• In 2012, the Government announced additional funding to reinforce federal Government IT infrastructure, which is vital to the protection of the information of Canadians, and information that underpins Canada's national security, public safety and economic prosperity.  This funding is helping to strengthen Canada's already secure, stable and resilient digital infrastructure.
• In 2012, Canada signed a Cyber Security Action Plan, under the Beyond the Border Action Plan,with the United States (U.S.) in order to enhance the already strong partnership and cooperation on cyber security matters between both countries.  This action plan recognizes the importance of protecting the shared critical digital infrastructure between Canada and the U.S., and of increasing our capacity to respond to cyber incidents.
• In 2012, the Government announced a new partnership between PS and STOP.THINK.CONNECT.™, a coalition of private sector companies, non-profit and Government organizations, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This partnership will facilitate the alignment of public awareness campaigns in Canada and the U.S. and will provide citizens with important advice and tools to increase their online security.
• Canada also works closely with our other key security partners, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, to ensure that our domestic and international efforts remain complementary.  Canada is actively working to advance its cyber security interests at key international fora including NATO, the G8, as well as the United Nations and its associated agencies.  Canada continues to conduct outreach to share information and knowledge to strengthen the cyber security capacity of foreign partners.
• The Government continues to engage critical infrastructure sectors (e.g. finance, transportation, energy), which are interconnected and spread out across Canada. To move forward with an integrated approach to engage this large stakeholder community, in 2010, PS and provincial/territorial partners launched the National Strategy and Action Plan for Critical Infrastructure. Together with Canada's Cyber Security Strategy, these documents set out the national game plan to ensure that Canada's critical infrastructure sectors can respond and recover swiftly from incidents and disruptions, including cyber incidents.
• Finally, the Government has also taken steps to improve the collaboration between departments and agencies that are actively working to improve cyber security. Under the leadership of PS, new governance instruments have been established through a number of interdepartmental committees of senior officials.

The Action Plan demonstrates the Government's commitment to meet cyber threats head-on, with specific targeted actions aimed at producing significant, tangible results.

The Government continues to work with its partners in the provinces and territories, in the private sector, and internationally, in order to improve our collective cyber security. Cyber security is an issue of national importance for which, given the interconnected nature of our systems and networks, we have a shared responsibility and accountability.

Improving Governance

Many Departments and Agencies worked together to develop the Strategy. As the Government works with key partners to implement the Strategy, it needs to ensure that departments and agencies are working together effectively and efficiently to improve cyber security in Canada. Implicated departments include:

• Canadian Forces;
• Canadian Security Intelligence Service;
• Canadian Radio Telecommunications Commission;
• Communications Security Establishment Canada;
• Defence Research and Development Canada;
• Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade;
• Department of National Defence;
• Industry Canada;
• Justice Canada;
• Privy Council Office;
• Public Safety Canada;
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police;
• Shared Services Canada; and
• Treasury Board Secretariat.

Pillar 1 – Securing Government systems

The Government is entrusted with safeguarding personal and business information in its electronic databases.  It provides services to Canadians and the private sector through its websites and electronic processing systems, and transmits highly classified information that is essential to our military and to our national security operations.

Cyber incidents are directed at a range of computer networks, including Government systems, and those responsible for cyber incidents regularly probe these systems for vulnerabilities. Effectively securing these systems, and the data within them, is therefore a matter of national security and sovereignty.

The safekeeping of Canadians' personal information online, as well as the information technology infrastructure of the Government, is a priority. Measures have been put in place to provide secure online access to Canadians as the Government delivers more services. In addition, the Government is also consolidating its information technology infrastructure to further enhance its security.

The Government is working to strengthen its capability to detect, deter, and defend against cyber incidents while deploying cyber technology to advance Canada's economic and national security interests.  

Pillar 2 – Partnering to secure vital cyber systems outside the federal Government

Canada's security and economic prosperity depend on the smooth functioning of systems outside the Government. Canada's private sector operates many of the systems, and is the custodian of sensitive information and industrial control systems, on which Canada's national security and public safety depend.       

In addition, the ongoing success of Canada's private sector relies in large measure on its ability to commercialize innovative research and intellectual property, business transactions, and financial data. Failing to secure this vital digital information, and the systems that hold it, inevitably leads to lost market share, fewer customers and corporate breakdown for the companies involved.  On a national scale, the theft of trade secrets, intellectual property and confidential corporate information can result in lost jobs and diminished economic prosperity for Canada and Canadians.

Many of the risks and impacts of cyber incidents are shared between governments and the private sector.  Fortunately, Canada's public and private sectors share a long history of working together to achieve shared economic and national security objectives.  This cooperation needs to be further strengthened.

Strengthened partnerships among all levels of Government are also essential in order to deliver a comprehensive cyber security strategy for Canada and Canadians.  Our provincial and territorial counterparts provide a range of essential services whose delivery is dependent on the safe and secure operation of their cyber systems.

The disruption of critical infrastructure and cyber systems can have direct impacts on businesses and communities around the world.  Incidents on interconnected cyber networks can have cascading effects across industrial sectors and national borders.  At the same time, Canada needs to be active in international fora dealing with critical infrastructure protection and cyber security.

Pillar 3 – Helping Canadians to be secure online

The third pillar of Canada's Cyber Security Strategy focuses on providing Canadians with information to protect themselves and their families online, and on strengthening the ability of law enforcement agencies to combat cyber crime.

Conclusion

Cyber security is a shared responsibility, and requires close partnership between the federal Government, the private sector, other levels of government, international partners, and Canadians to ensure that vital cyber systems are secure, and that Canadians can go online with confidence. The Strategy and the Action Plan reflect this shared responsibility. Going forward, to ensure continued progress, this Action Plan will be reviewed and updated periodically in collaboration with partners within and outside the federal government.

Date modified:

2022-08-15