Freedom Convoy's Digital War

This story details the digital war launched by the Canadian Government in partnership with the Biden & Clinton administrations.

Cyber Attacks on Canada Unity and GiveSendGo During the Freedom Convoy 2022

During the tumultuous period of the Freedom Convoy in early 2022, which aimed to protest against Canada's COVID-19 vaccine mandates, there were significant cyber security incidents involving Canada Unity and the crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo. These incidents not only highlighted the vulnerabilities in digital protest platforms but also showcased the lengths to which various actors, including possibly government-backed entities, might go to influence or disrupt such movements.

Canada Unity Under Siege

Canada Unity, a key organizing group behind the convoy, faced multiple cyber attacks, particularly targeting its website and databases. Jason LaFace, who served as both administrator and system administrator for Canada Unity, played a pivotal role in defending against these intrusions. According to reports, LaFace successfully thwarted attempts by at least five different hacker groups to gain unauthorized access to Canada Unity's systems. His defense was bolstered by custom-developed applications and strategic security measures, which proved effective against these cyber assaults.

The cyber attacks on Canada Unity were not isolated events. They occurred in a broader context where the Canadian government was reportedly involved in efforts to monitor or perhaps even disrupt the operations of groups associated with the convoy. Although direct evidence linking the government explicitly to these attacks isn't publicly available, the timing and nature of the attacks suggested a concerted effort to hinder the organizational capabilities of the protest group.

GiveSendGo Data Breach

Parallel to the attacks on Canada Unity, the GiveSendGo crowdfunding platform, which became the primary fundraising vehicle for the Freedom Convoy after GoFundMe shut down its campaign, suffered from a significant data breach. On February 13, 2022, GiveSendGo was hacked, leading to the exposure of donor information, including names, email addresses, and donation amounts. This breach was attributed to Aubrey Cottle, a hacker who claimed responsibility, although he later faced threats, leading GiveSendGo to seek FBI intervention regarding possible legal action against him.

The hack of GiveSendGo was not only a privacy debacle but also a strategic blow to the convoy's funding. More than half of the donations to the convoy protest came from the United States, with the data revealing that 55.7% of the 92,845 donations were from U.S. donors, while 39% were from Canada. The exposure of donor identities led to significant public and media scrutiny, with some donors facing harassment and doxxing as their information was made public.

Jason LaFace, aware of the ongoing Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks on GiveSendGo, attempted to mobilize a response. However, he found that the legal representation for the Freedom Corp, presumably acting for the convoy's interests, believed the situation was under control. This lack of immediate action contributed to the eventual data breach, where donor anonymity was compromised, illustrating a critical failure in cybersecurity strategy and response.

Conclusion

The cyber attacks on Canada Unity and GiveSendGo during the Freedom Convoy 2022 demonstrate the complexities of digital activism in the modern era. They underscore the importance of robust cybersecurity measures, especially when political protests involve significant online components. The incidents also raise questions about the ethics and legality of governmental involvement in the cyber activities against civilian-led protests.

Jason LaFace's efforts in defense of Canada Unity's systems serve as a case study in grassroots cybersecurity, while the GiveSendGo breach serves as a cautionary tale about the risks associated with digital fundraising in politically charged environments.

These events have left a lasting impact on how such movements might prepare for and respond to cyber threats in the future, emphasizing the need for enhanced security protocols and perhaps even international cooperation to protect digital rights and privacy during public demonstrations.