Notorious threat group NoName has set its eyes on Canada, targeting key port authorities nationwide. The affected entities include the Port of Nanaimo, Port de Saguenay, Trois-Rivières Port Authority, and the Port of Belledune.
Threat intelligence service Falcon Feeds shared screenshots of the threat actor’s post, where the hacker collective claimed to target specific entities via Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, impacting their official websites.
The websites of Port de Saguenay and Trois-Rivières Port Authority were down currently at the time of writing. The Cyber Express has contacted the listed port authorities to confirm the attacks claimed by the group.
Surge in Cyber Attacks: Unleashing the NoName Wave
The latest wave of cyber attacks follows the ongoing DDoS attacks on Lithuania claimed by NoName, showcasing the group’s relentless nature.
The campaign in Lithuania has targeted organizations across various industries, leading to disruptions and growing concerns about cybersecurity in the Baltic nation.
NoName has been actively sharing evidence of their exploits on their Telegram channel, including screenshots and details.
Port of Nanaimo
The Port of Nanaimo, located on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, is a vital regional transportation hub.
With NoName allegedly compromising the website, the incident has raised serious concerns about the potential impact on the port’s operations and the security of sensitive information.
Port de Saguenay
Similarly, the Port de Saguenay in Quebec is crucial in facilitating international trade and transportation. The cyber attack on its website has left it inaccessible and is showing a “Connection timed out Error code 522” error.
Trois-Rivières Port Authority
Trois-Rivières Port Authority, located in Quebec, is an important port facility connecting the Saint Lawrence River to major shipping routes. The alleged security breach by NoName took down the website and currently shows a “403 Forbidden” error.
Port of Belledune
Meanwhile, the Port of Belledune, situated in New Brunswick, is another target of NoName’s cyber assault.
As an essential gateway for international trade, this attack emphasizes the need for heightened cybersecurity measures to safeguard the port’s operations and ensure uninterrupted supply chain activities.
The attack on ports underscores a need for better security measures and the persistent nature of threat actors such as NoName. The exact reason why NoName has been targeting Canada, especially its port, remains unknown.
Canadian ports under cyber attack
This is not the first time that Canadian ports have been under fire by hackers.
In April 2023, the Port of Halifax in Nova Scotia and the Ports of Montreal and Québec were targeted by a ‘denial-of-service attack’ that flooded their websites with traffic, causing them to crash.
However, the port agencies reported no data breach, and operations remained unaffected.
As per CBC News, Lane Farguson, spokesperson for the Port of Halifax, stated, “What was important was that our internal systems continued to operate normally, and port operations were unaffected by this. Traffic continued to move through the Port of Halifax”, reported Port Technology.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Port of Montreal informed Radio-Canada that the port’s security team had confirmed the unaffected state of port operations and the absence of any data breach risk.
Although the websites of the three ports were offline at the time, alternative methods of contacting the ports were available, bypassing the need for website usage.
Renée Larouche, Head of Communications for the Port of Montreal, mentioned that suppliers could contact the port through telephone instead.
Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.
