Challenge

Public Safety Canada sought insight and evidence on how to better share and protect cyber threat information within the public service, with joint allies and the public.

Engagement

This project examined US-CAN threat-information sharing protocols among federal, state, municipal, and private-sector stakeholders. Based on expert insight and technical research, ONPAR provided recommendations to the Minister of Public Safety to improve the dissemination of threat information to the private sector, allied governments, including internal government procedures and protocols.

• Conducted a survey of the Canadian and US cyber information sharing environments:
  • Described the current Canadian cyber information sharing landscape (Federal and Private Sector);
  • Described the current US cyber information sharing landscape (e.g., NCCIC, CERTs, ISAOs, and ISACs);
  • Identified the strengths and weaknesses in the Canadian and US approaches; and
  • Identified opportunities and strategies to improve information sharing between the GC/PSC/C-CERT and private sector partners.
• Identified existing capabilities that can be adopted or extended in order to develop more fulsome and timely information sharing practices and processes.
• Identified opportunities to leverage US developed capability, while avoiding identified challenges.
• Provided a target conceptual architecture for a Canadian Cyber Information Sharing Environment (CCISE) that exploits best practices and standards and can be developed and continually enhanced over several years.

Partners included: The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the National Council of ISACs, the Public Safety Canada, PriceWaterhouse Coopers LLP., the National Security Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Impact

Provided support for the National Cyber Security Strategy and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security business case.

Insights

• Engagement of the private sector – The GC budgets, resources and capabilities are simply not up to the overall challenge, must be a shared initiative with industry and government;
• Engage with the US to align to the 10s of $Bs they are spending in the area.
• Seek opportunities with Canadian SME innovations and foster opportunities to demonstrate this capability internationally – this will build capacity needed by the GC and economic opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) – where innovation resides and is the core of the Canadian Economy.
• Success will be predicated on fostering and evolving relationships and adding value to government (inter-agency, intergovernmental), private sector and international.