A Cyberattack Has Crashed Hydro-Québec's Website

A spokesperson described the attack as a "big flash."

The Hydro-Québec website homepage.

The Hydro-Québec website homepage.

Jarretera | Dreamstime
Senior Editor

A 3 a.m. Thursday cyberattack brought down Hydro-Québec's homepage, mobile app and Info-Pannes site. The good news, Hydro spokesperson Francis Labbé told MTL Blog, is that the attack is only affecting the front end of the company's website.

Thanks to web security barriers, the hackers weren't able to retrieve or deposit any information, Labbé said, adding that there's also "no threat" to the electricity production or distribution network.

He described the incident as a "big flash" without an impact on the company's operations.

The so-called "denial-of-service" attack works by multiplying demands on the website, thereby blocking access for everyone else.

Hydro-Québec's 300-person IT department was working to resolve the issue, Labbé said. They had already restored the Info-Pannes page by 9 a.m., though the spokesperson couldn't provide an estimate for when they would restore the rest of the website.

He also couldn't confirm the identity of the hacker group responsible for the attack.

hydro-québechydro quebec
  • Thomas MacDonald
  • Thomas MacDonald

    Senior Editor

    Thomas MacDonald was the Senior Editor of MTL Blog. He received a B.A. with honours from McGill University in 2018 and worked as a Writer and Associate Editor before entering his current role. He is proud to lead the MTL Blog team and to provide its readers with the information they need to make the most of their city.

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