Quebec shuts down 3,992 sites as 'preventative measure' after security flaw discovered
CTV
Quebec shut down 3,992 sites on Sunday as a preventative measure after the government discovered a major security flaw affecting computer systems around the world.
Minister Responsible for Digital Transformation and Access to Information Eric Caire explained that all sites are being scanned for possible threats caused by the "Log4j" flaw. Log4j is a widely deployed Java-based logging utility, and the federal government issued a warning Friday that "active scanning and exploitation of this vulnerability have been observed."
Caire said the government has been doing an exhaustive analysis since Friday and that a specific library was vulnerable. However, he added that no activity has been detected suggesting that a hacker has accessed the system.
"It's a decision preventive not reactive," said Caire.
Just under 4,000 sites were closed (3,992) and some are back online in the public administration and education ministries.