Canadian government websites go offline due to software vulnerability
Statistics Canada and other federal sites shut down as precaution while patches are applied to fix a flaw that could allow remote code execution.
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Some Government of Canada websites went offline October 21 as a temporary precaution against a software vulnerability discovered globally.
Affected sites include Statistics Canada and Measurement Canada, a regulatory agency under Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. The FBI Cyber Division said the flaw could allow malicious actors to remotely execute code in the programming language at the heart of many web systems, potentially compromising sensitive data and networks. The PHP Foundation, which includes developers working to secure the language, released fixes and update instructions.
Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Solomon said the response is temporary and precautionary, aimed at protecting government systems and Canadians' information. "We take this situation extremely seriously," Solomon said on social media. "Affected websites will be restored once patches are applied."
Solomon noted this is a global issue, with other governments and organizations taking similar protective measures. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security is providing guidance on the response. The government has not specified how many websites are offline, when they will return, or which other nations have taken similar action.
How many federal websites are currently offline?
When will affected sites be restored to full service?
Which other governments have taken similar protective measures?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
