July 21, 2021 – The Canadian government joined a long list of allied countries Monday in accusing Chinese state-backed hackers of an “unprecedented and indiscriminate” infiltration of Microsoft email servers.

Canada also accused the same hacking group, allegedly part of the Chinese government’s state security apparatus, of separate attacks on Canadian defence, ocean technologies and bio-pharma sectors in 2017 and 2018.

The accusations come at a time of tense diplomatic relations between Ottawa and Beijing. The Chinese government has repeatedly agitated for Canada to release detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who is facing extradition to the U.S. where she is wanted on fraud charges.

Two Canadian nationals, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, were detained by Chinese authorities after Meng’s arrest and have spent more than 950 days in prison.

The federal government said Monday that the Microsoft Exchange hack, disclosed by the company in March, put “several thousand Canadian entities at risk.” An estimated 400,000 email servers were hit by the hack worldwide. Toronto Star reports. | READ MORE