In an era when data is the new oil and cyberattacks are the new cold war, the United States and Canada find themselves standing shoulder to shoulder against an evolving and increasingly perilous threat landscape.
As President Donald Trump prepares to strengthen American cybersecurity — a herculean task that involves revamping agencies, rethinking strategies, hiring hundreds of thousands of new IT professionals, and confronting adversaries head-on — the importance of Canada as a partner in this effort cannot be overstated.
For decades, the U.S.-Canada relationship has thrived on shared values, mutual defence commitments, and tightly integrated economies. But in the digital age, the stakes are higher. Cybersecurity is no longer just a national issue — it’s a North American imperative.
The same cables that carry our data and connect our systems also carry our vulnerabilities. If there’s one certainty, it’s that the success of American cybersecurity efforts depends in no small part on the strength of its northern neighbour’s defences — and vice versa.
When Microsoft president Brad Smith called for tougher action on cyberattacks, including those originating from Russia, China and Iran, his warning wasn’t just an American concern. These state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups are equal-opportunity offenders, targeting both sides of the border with chilling precision.
Canada is no stranger to these threats. Take China’s Gelsemium APT group, linked to the recently discovered WolfsBane backdoor targeting Linux systems. While the group’s activities might initially seem like a niche concern, the ripple effects of such attacks can disrupt critical infrastructure, steal sensitive data, and endanger national security on a continental scale.
Russia’s notorious Fancy Bear, responsible for meddling in elections and launching devastating attacks on Western institutions, doesn’t stop at the 49th parallel. And let’s not forget Iran’s APT33 and North Korea’s Lazarus Group, which have both exploited Canadian and American networks in their relentless pursuit of economic gain and geopolitical leverage.
The digital battlefield knows no borders. An attack on Canadian systems — be it a ransomware strike, a malware outbreak, or a coordinated phishing campaign — inevitably impacts American security, and vice versa. The interconnected nature of our economies, particularly in sectors like energy, transportation and finance, makes joint cybersecurity efforts not just advisable but essential.
While America’s cybersecurity challenges are often cast as a domestic issue, the truth is that Canada is a critical ally in this fight. Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE) and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) already collaborate on intelligence-sharing initiatives. These partnerships need to be deepened if North America is to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated adversaries.
Moreover, Canada’s expertise in areas like artificial intelligence, which Trump ally Elon Musk has urged governments to regulate, could provide a much-needed boost to U.S. efforts. As Trump considers how to fill the massive talent gap in America’s cybersecurity workforce — currently short by hundreds of thousands of skilled professionals — cross-border collaboration on training and recruitment could help both nations tackle this shared challenge.
The urgency of this partnership is underscored by the grim realities facing both nations. Malware loaders like BabbleLoader are being used to distribute everything from ransomware to Trojans, creating chaos in corporate and government systems alike.
Cryptojacking — where attackers hijack systems to mine cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin — has surged, fuelled by the growing appeal of digital currencies, including among Trump’s supporters. Additionally, the crypto world is seeing a rise in new Bitcoin related phishing scams. Meanwhile, ransomware continues to wreak havoc, with double extortion schemes now threatening to leak sensitive data in addition to encrypting it.
Adding to these challenges is the impending end of support for Windows 10, a move likely to cause not just headaches, but a surge in “blue screen of death” errors across both Canadian and American networks.
The prospect of millions of outdated systems suddenly becoming vulnerable is a scenario that cybercriminals are undoubtedly eager to exploit. For nations as digitally intertwined as the U.S. and Canada, this is a shared disaster waiting to happen.
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As Trump looks to chart a bold course for American cybersecurity, Canada’s role as a partner should be top of mind. Together, the two nations must address critical gaps in their defences, from modernizing outdated infrastructure to improving coordination in responding to cross-border cyber incidents.
This collaboration will require a concerted effort on both sides. The U.S. must resist the temptation to pursue a go-it-alone approach, while Canada must invest in fortifying its own defences to ensure it remains a strong ally.
Public-private partnerships will also play a vital role, with Canadian and American tech giants working hand-in-hand to develop innovative solutions to shared challenges.
Despite the daunting challenges, there is reason for optimism. The U.S. and Canada have a long history of overcoming adversity together, whether on the beaches of Normandy or in the skies over NORAD command centres.
The cyber battlefield is no different. By leveraging their combined strengths, sharing intelligence, and investing in joint initiatives, the two nations can set a global standard for resilience in the face of digital threats.
As an American, I’m heartened by the prospect of a reinvigorated partnership with Canada under the Trump administration’s cybersecurity agenda. After all, our countries’ fates are intertwined.
Together, we can ensure that the cables connecting our nations carry not just data but the promise of a secure and prosperous digital future. Because in the battle for cybersecurity, the only way forward is together.
— Julio Rivera is a business and political strategist, cybersecurity researcher, founder of itfunk.org, and a political commentator and columnist. His writing, which is focused on cybersecurity and politics, is regularly published by many of the largest news organizations in the world.