Lyce · Hybrid Watch

hw_d12ae63d57ce8fec

Border-checkpoint outages at Canadian airports due to suspected DDoS attack.

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) attributed connectivity issues at airport check-in kiosks and border-control electronic gates to a distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. The attack disrupted service for more than one hour in arrival processing at several airports, including Montréal-Trudeau, due to disabled kiosks and electronic gates. The CBSA noted no personal information was disclosed. The hacktivist group NoName057(16), pro-Russian in orientation, claimed responsibility via Telegram messages for cyber-attacks on Canadian government, finance and transportation targets, including this incident. The Cyber Centre of Canada (the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security) had earlier issued alerts that since 13 September 2023 DDoS campaigns were targeting multiple sectors in Canada, including transportation. The incident reflects how non-kinetic, internet-based assault techniques form part of hybrid warfare by exploiting infrastructure dependencies rather than physical attack.

Occurrence
2023-09-20
Publication
2023-09-19T22:00:00Z
First observed
2026-09-24T06:09:10.079Z
Review status
Not assessed
Countries
CA
Updated
2026-09-27T23:56:59.668Z

E/M/R/S scores

  • EExistence0/4 · Not assessed
  • MIntent0/4 · Not assessed
  • RRussian actor link0/4 · Not assessed
  • SRussian state responsibility0/4 · Not assessed

Facts

No facts

Sources

  1. Role
    discovery_lead
    Date
    2023-09-19T22:00:00Z

    Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) attributed connectivity issues at airport check-in kiosks and border-control electronic gates to a distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. The attack disrupted service for more than one hour in arrival processing at several airports, including Montréal-Trudeau, due to disabled kiosks and electronic gates. The CBSA noted no personal information was disclosed. The hacktivist group NoName057(16), pro-Russian in orientation, claimed responsibility via Telegram messages for cyber-attacks on Canadian government, finance and transportation targets, including this incident. The Cyber Centre of Canada (the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security) had earlier issued alerts that since 13 September 2023 DDoS campaigns were targeting multiple sectors in Canada, including transportation. The incident reflects how non-kinetic, internet-based assault techniques form part of hybrid warfare by exploiting infrastructure dependencies rather than physical attack.