Governor General’s office says internal network breached

OTTAWA —
The Office of the Secretary to Gov. Gen. Mary Simon says that there’s been an ‘unauthorized access to its internal network,’ with the scope of the breach still under investigation.

According to a statement issued Thursday morning, the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General (OSGG) is working with the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security on the investigation and “took immediate action to strengthen its network.”

“The OSGG is continuing its work with experts and pursuing further network improvements as needed,” the statement said.

Ian McCowan is Simon’s secretary, coming into the role in February 2021 after being the deputy secretary to the cabinet at the Privy Council Office (PCO).

The OSGG has also spoken with PCO about the breach, vowing protecting the personal information of those who work and interact with the office is “a priority.”