Data centres face security risks amid growing strategic value: CSIS
'Canadians should not have to choose between innovation and safety. They deserve both'
Data centres in Canada will be of growing economic and strategic importance in the years ahead, but will also draw increasing security concerns to counter cyberattacks, supply chain risks, and potential threats from foreign governments, says an assessment by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).
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The five-page partly-redacted assessment, labelled as “secret,” is dated May 27 of this year and was acquired through the access to information process.
It describes data centres as being “crucial” for national security in how they protect sensitive information, maintain data sovereignty, and support economic growth and stability, drawn by Canada’s cool climate, renewable energy, and proximity to the U.S. market.
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Artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and advances in digital computing are likely to increase that importance, the document states, but will also bring along a series of potential security risks.
“It is essential to consider a broad range of risks beyond simply cyber threats, including supply chain risks, as well as the risks associated with third-party vendors and service providers,” it states.
“As the Canadian data centre market continues to consolidate and grow, individual data centres will likely become increasingly critical to the country’s digital infrastructure.”
The assessment cites foreign ownership as ranking among those risks, including companies from China “seeking to capitalize on improved trade relations.”
“While foreign and domestic investments are primarily driven by commercial interests, investments can also pose national security risks if made by entities vulnerable to coercion or exploitation by foreign adversaries.”
Those could also include the numerous vendors, contractors, and third-party service providers needed to construct and maintain the data centres which the document describes as being a “complex and multifaceted process.”