RCMP slammed for private surveillance use to trawl social media, ‘darknet’ | Global News

The RCMP has been quietly using private surveillance companies to trawl through social media accounts and “publicly available” information on the internet since at least 2015, a new report by Canada’s privacy watchdog reveals. And the national police force is rejecting the federal privacy commissioner’s recommendations on making their use of “third-party” surveillance vendors more transparent. Read full story here: RCMP slammed for private surveillance use to trawl social media, ‘darknet’ | Global News

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Current and former public service, RCMP, military members affected by data breach, federal government warns | CTV News

The federal government is warning current and former public service employees and members of the RCMP and Canadian Armed Forces their personal and financial information may have been accessed in a data breach that occurred on Oct. 19. The breach affects federal government data held by Brookfield Global Relocation Services (BGRS) and SIRVA Worldwide Relocation & Moving Services — two companies that provide relocation support for employees. Read full story here: Current and former public service, RCMP, military members affected by data breach, federal government warns | CTV News

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The Canada-U.S. Border Could Be Closed For Months. Here’s What You Need To Know Now | CBC News

Gone are the days when Canadians and Americans could freely drive across their shared border for a quick shopping trip or to visit family and friends. Now, the Canada-U.S. land border that was once wide open is closed to non-essential travel, affecting the lives of many people on both sides. Here’s the latest on what you need to know about Canada-U.S. border rules and why our neighbours to the south may not be visiting for a while. Read full story here: The Canada-U.S. Border Could Be Closed For Months. Here’s…

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RCMP Acknowledges Using Facial Recognition Technology, But Won’t Say Where | CBC News

The RCMP has for the first time acknowledged using controversial facial recognition technology that has raised privacy concerns, saying it was used in the Mounties’ efforts to crack down on online child sexual abuse. The force said it has used the technology in 15 child exploitation investigations over the past four months, resulting in the identification and rescue of two children. The statement also mentioned that “a few units in the RCMP” are also using it to “enhance criminal investigations,” without providing detail about how widely and where. “We are…

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Scammed Senior Citizens Being Recruited As Drug Mules: CBSA | CBC News

Drug trafficking networks are drafting senior citizens to smuggle illicit narcotics into the country, says the Canada Border Services Agency. An intelligence advisory from the CBSA flags the issue and asks staff to be on the lookout for elderly drug importers. It suggests some of the seniors act as mules in response to financial pressure after falling victim to scams spread through phishing email messages, websites, mail and phone calls. Read full story here: Scammed Senior Citizens Being Recruited As Drug Mules: CBSA | CBC News  

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U.S. On Guard Against Rise In Illegal Border Crossings As Canada Rejects Asylum Claims | CBC News

American border agents are increasingly concerned about the northern boundary with Canada, saying the number of people entering the U.S. through back roads, forests and even across rivers is surging. “We’ve seen an increase coming into the United States from Canada,” U.S. Border Patrol Houlton Division chief Dennis Harmon says. He is responsible for the north-eastern frontier, through the Maine-New Brunswick line and the shared waters along the Atlantic. Read full story here: U.S. On Guard Against Rise In Illegal Border Crossings As Canada Rejects Asylum Claims | CBC News  

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RCMP And Privacy Commissioner Probe Alleged NCIX Data Breach | CBC News

The RCMP and Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia are investigating allegations of a possible data breach involving the bankrupt computer retailer NCIX. Authorities are investigating a claim that NCIX’s database servers have been advertised for sale online with all of the information still intact. In doing so, it may have compromised the security of countless customers. According to a statement from Richmond RCMP, the case was opened Thursday and police have seized the servers. Read full story here: RCMP And Privacy Commissioner Probe Alleged NCIX Data Breach | CBC News  

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Mounties, CSIS Still Haven’t Publicly ID’d People Behind Electronic Cell Surveillance In Ottawa | CBC News

After investigating for over a year, the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) are still unable to publicly identify those who have deployed electronic espionage devices in the national capital. In April 2017, a CBC/Radio-Canada report revealed that IMSI catchers were being used in Ottawa and Montreal. These devices can capture cellphone data and listen to telephone conversations. News that sophisticated spying tools had been deployed within range of Parliament Hill caused some tumult within the government. Following the CBC/Radio-Canada report, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale announced the launch…

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Spies More Free To Use Cellphone Surveillance Tech Without Warrant, Under Court Ruling – Technology & Science – CBC News

A federal court judge has ruled that Canada’s domestic spy agency can continue to use contentious cellphone surveillance devices without a warrant, in some cases. For several years, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has used a device it calls a Cell Site Simulator (CSS) to collect information about cellphones and other cellular-capable devices — such as some laptops or tablets — during its national security investigations. The devices are perhaps better known as IMSI Catchers or Stingrays, and pretend to be legitimate cellphone towers in order to collect information. Privacy…

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