Cyberattack disrupts Canadian electric utility systems

Nova Scotia Power and Emera quickly isolated impacted servers to contain the breach, assuring customers that the attack did not affect electricity services in Nova Scotia or operations in the US and Caribbean territories served by Emera

Nova Scotia Power, serving over half a million customers in Canada, and its parent company, Emera, are addressing the aftermath of a cyberattack that took place on April 25. The breach, which involved unauthorized access to some of their Canadian servers and network systems, led to the disruption of certain IT services. These included customer care lines and online portals, but fortunately, there were no reported power outages or disruptions to the utility's physical operations.

Upon detecting the attack, Nova Scotia Power and Emera took swift action, isolating the impacted servers to contain the breach. The companies have emphasized that the attack has not affected their ability to safely and reliably provide electricity to their customers in Nova Scotia, nor did it impact any operations in the US or Caribbean territories served by Emera.

Unclear motive behind energy sector cyberattack

While the attack caused significant IT disruptions, including difficulties for customers trying to access services, there has been no official update regarding the recovery timeline. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether any sensitive data, including customer or business information, was compromised.

It remains unclear if the attack was a ransomware-related incident, as no group has claimed responsibility. The energy sector is often targeted by cybercriminals and state-sponsored actors due to its critical role in national security and the economy. Recently, there has been heightened concern over state-backed cyber threats, such as the Volt Typhoon group, which infiltrated the US electric grid for months in 2023.

Despite these challenges, Nova Scotia Power has assured its customers that service continuity has not been disrupted, and the company is working diligently to restore its IT services and safeguard its systems against future attacks.