The Communications Security Establishment (CSE) is Canada’s centre of excellence for cyber operations as a security and intelligence organization. The CSE runs the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, which provides technical advice and resources on cyber security, including elections. Every two years, it provides an update on cyber threat activity targeting elections.
The 2025 update may be of interest to our members who serve as the chief electoral administrators within their municipalities responsible for running municipal and school board elections. Members who are engaged in 2026 municipal elections planning are encouraged to review these latest findings on cyber security threat activities.
In the report, the CSE has identified that hostile actors are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to interfere with democratic processes worldwide including through the proliferation of political disinformation and harassment of elected officials. For instance, the CSE observed 102 reported cases of generative AI used to interfere with or influence 41 elections globally between 2023 and 2024. AI-enabled cyber threat activities are the main focus of this report. The CSE also found that a majority of these campaigns were carried out by Russia and China though non-state actors using AI to spread disinformation.
As part of our Municipal Elections Act and Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act submissions, and our recent work on consultation responses to Bill 194, we have highlighted various AI opportunities and threats on municipal operations including elections. We shared our concerns with the Ministers of Public Safety and Justice and emphasized the need for all orders of government to work collaboratively to address these threats.