Border Security Overview

A border is a line that separates two different areas, which can be real or artificial. It can mark the boundaries of countries, states, provinces, cities, or even geographical regions.

Borders define the limits of a government's or region's authority or influence. They establish the areas where laws and regulations can be enforced.

Sovereignty means having complete control over your territory, including the ability to make laws, manage resources, and conduct foreign affairs. It's a fundamental principle of international relations.

These are the realms where borders can exist and they are: land, air, sea, space, and cyber.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of Canada's borders. Their job is to facilitate the flow of people and goods while also protecting against illegal activities.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) identifies and manages various risks related to border security. These risks include smuggling of illicit drugs, inadmissible goods, and high-risk individuals, along with concerns about human trafficking and immigration compliance.

Criminal organizations often leverage borders for illicit activities, such as smuggling drugs, weapons, and other contraband, posing a significant threat to national security and public safety.

The clandestine movement of goods or people across borders in violation of laws and regulations.

Protecting the nation's vast road network from various risks, such as natural disasters, technological failures, and human-caused threats, is critical for maintaining economic activity and public safety.

Threats to road infrastructure like earthquakes, floods, and landslides can disrupt transportation, causing economic damage and endangering lives.

Ageing infrastructure, design flaws, and accidents involving vehicles or hazardous materials pose risks to road safety and efficiency.

Hacking of traffic management systems, vehicle control computers, and GPS navigation can disrupt transportation, creating chaos, accidents, and security breaches.

Ensuring the safety and security of Canada's extensive rail network, from passenger trains to freight transport, is crucial for economic activity and public safety.

Freight trains play a vital role in moving bulk commodities and containerized goods over long distances, often transporting hazardous materials.

Passenger rail services, including intercity and commuter trains, provide transportation and connect communities, but face risks from natural disasters, human actions, and technological failures.

Preventing incidents and protecting passengers on trains involve employee training, baggage screening, security technology, and access control measures.

Protecting marine environments, ships, and ports from threats like terrorism, piracy, and illegal activities is crucial for global trade, national security, and environmental protection.

Limiting access to key rail facilities, rights of way, and stations using authorization protocols and security measures.

Designing and constructing rail infrastructure with safety and security in mind, considering potential risks from natural disasters, human errors, and technological failures.

Harm done to an organization by its own employees, authorized personnel, or those granted access. Often arises from carelessness or mismanagement of information, rather than malicious intent.

Reasons behind cyberattacks. Individuals can be driven by curiosity, the desire for a challenge, or bragging rights within the hacking community.

Software designed to disrupt or damage computer systems. Can be developed intentionally or unintentionally and can come through various channels.

A network of remotely controlled computers, allowing unauthorized users to manipulate targeted systems.

Malware covertly installed to track or transmit data to unauthorized third parties.

A computer program that conceals harmful code within seemingly harmless software.

Methods to protect computer systems from cyberattacks, including monitoring for suspicious activity, analyzing incoming traffic, using automated systems and software for detection and prevention, and implementing firewalls and audits.

Factors that make computer systems more susceptible to cyber attacks, such as the widespread availability of computers and internet access, anonymity provided by the internet, ease of access to targets, and a lack of coordinated security measures.

The protection against deliberate or unlawful actions at sea, aiming to ensure safety and sovereignty for nations, shipping, and the marine environment.

Maritime safety focuses on preventing accidents caused by human error or technical issues, while security tackles intentional threats like piracy and terrorism.

The CCG ensures the safety of mariners in Canadian waters, safeguards the environment, supports economic growth through safe maritime trade, and helps maintain national security.

A plan designed to protect goods and services transported by sea against threats like terrorism, piracy, and smuggling.

The multifaceted process of shipping goods by sea, involving shippers, customers, warehousing, transportation, and intermodal transfers.

Maritime systems are vulnerable to cyberattacks and threats to critical infrastructure like GPS, navigation beacons, and ship tracking systems.

Piracy involves the illegal boarding of a ship with the intent to steal or commit other crimes, using force or the threat of force.

The use of violence or threats of violence at sea for political purposes, targeting ships, ports, and other maritime infrastructure.

Criminal organizations engage in illegal activities like smuggling, human trafficking, and drug running in maritime environments for financial gain.

Key considerations include physical security, intelligence sharing, monitoring of maritime traffic, security patrols, risk assessment, cybersecurity, and awareness training.

Threats to air security include the use of UAVs, theft, sovereign threats to civil aviation, and malicious actors like terrorists and hijackers.

Air security systems are vast, complex, and contain many security vulnerabilities, especially in air cargo transportation.

Air cargo security aims to prevent smuggling and trafficking of illegal goods through stringent screening and control of access.

Cyber attacks can originate from various actors, ranging from state-sponsored groups to criminals and ideologically motivated hackers, aiming to disrupt and exploit critical infrastructure.

Ensuring secure and reliable information flow, communications systems, and cyber defenses are crucial to protect maritime and aviation operations.