OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC has once again flexed its anti-spam muscle, executing a warrant along with the RCMP at a Greater Toronto Area residence Wednesday during a malware investigation.
Part of an international coordinated effort with the RCMP, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Australian Federal Police, the Commission said Thursday that the two warrants were obtained as part of ongoing parallel investigations into Remote Access Trojan (RAT) technology, a kind of malware that enables remote access to Canadian computers without their users' consent, potentially leading to the theft of personal information and installation of other malware.
The CRTC executed a warrant under Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) while the RCMP National Division executed a search warrant under the Criminal Code.
The investigation was triggered through tips from international private cyber security firms, continued the Commission, reiterating that it does not comment on active investigations or name the individuals or companies under investigation.
“The execution of this warrant illustrates how our enforcement efforts are focused on online malicious activities”, said CRTC chief compliance and enforcement officer Steven Harroun, in a statement. “We strive to protect Canadians from online threats, and this lengthy and complex investigation is an example of our commitment. We are grateful for the instrumental collaboration we obtained from our domestic and international partners in this case.”
