U.S. government officials spent the weekend briefing impacted allies and partners, including Canada, following reports detailing a leak of sensitive U.S. intelligence about Russia害羞草研究所檚 war with Ukraine and its potential ramifications.

The trove of documents reportedly included an assessment of claims that Russian-backed hackers managed back in February to access the systems controlling part of Canada害羞草研究所檚 natural gas infrastructure.

The Canadian Press has not independently verified those claims. Some of the material 害羞草研究所� discovered Friday after it had been posted to online forums and social media channels 害羞草研究所� appeared to have been altered.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e still working through the validity of all the documents that we know are out there,害羞草研究所� said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

害羞草研究所淯.S. officials have 害羞草研究所� communicated with relevant nations, relevant allies and partners as appropriate, at very high levels.害羞草研究所�

Federal officials in Ottawa acknowledged Monday that Canada was involved in those briefings. A statement from the Communications Security Establishment, the country害羞草研究所檚 cyberspy agency, refused to comment on specifics.

害羞草研究所淲e do not comment on specific cybersecurity incidents, nor do we confirm businesses or critical infrastructure partners that we work with,害羞草研究所� said spokesman Ryan Foreman.

害羞草研究所淲e further do not comment, whether to confirm or deny, on allegedly leaked intelligence.害羞草研究所�

The bulk of the material appears focused on assessments of the war in Ukraine 害羞草研究所� in particular, U.S. training efforts, the timing of equipment deliveries, losses on each side and American evaluations of broader support for the effort.

One of the documents is a graphic that illustrates troop losses on both sides, with an estimate of Russian deaths that is significantly lower than what Pentagon officials have stated publicly. Kirby called the document 害羞草研究所渄octored.害羞草研究所�

The trove of intel also goes into what specific efforts Russia may be engaged in to undermine those broader global alliances, which appears to be where Canada enters the picture.

A New York Times report Monday characterized the hacking incident as an example of how Russia could be expected to retaliate beyond Ukraine害羞草研究所檚 borders in the event the war continues to drag on.

The report doesn害羞草研究所檛 name a specific energy company, but says hackers were instructed by a Russian intelligence officer to maintain access to the computer network and 害羞草研究所渨ait for further instruction.害羞草研究所�

The Times reported that the hackers were able to show they had the ability to increase valve pressure, disable alarms and trigger an emergency shutdown at an unidentified gas distribution station.

U.S. officials have acknowledged publicly that gaining access to a network and maintaining it, without necessarily taking action, is a tactic common to Russian-backed hacking efforts, said Jamil Jaffer, executive director of the National Security Institute at Virginia害羞草研究所檚 George Mason University.

害羞草研究所淐anada has to probably do a damage assessment as to what the revelations in this information mean for its relationship with other nation states, but in particular with its adversaries,害羞草研究所� Jaffer said.

But the bigger problem for the U.S. and its allies is likely not so much what害羞草研究所檚 in the documents, but the fact that it could compromise intelligence sources, he added.

害羞草研究所淢ore often than not, when classified information is revealed, it害羞草研究所檚 less about the specific information itself and more about the fact that the persons who are communicating know what methodology they use to communicate,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淭hey now know the source or method of your access, and they害羞草研究所檙e going to be able to cut it off.害羞草研究所�

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel also described high-level international briefings with allies Monday, 害羞草研究所渋ncluding to reassure them of our commitment to safeguarding intelligence and the fidelity of securing our partnerships.害羞草研究所�

Experts say the documents are believed to have circulated for months in obscure, private corners of the internet, including in chat rooms on the gaming discussion platform Discord, before their disclosure was discovered.

害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 know what else might be out there,害羞草研究所� Kirby said.

害羞草研究所淥ne of the things we have to protect is information, not only the information itself, but the manner in which we glean that information. So I think you can understand why everybody is taking this particular set of disclosures very, very seriously.害羞草研究所�

Foreman害羞草研究所檚 statement acknowledged the very real risks of cyberattacks, including by state actors, aimed at disrupting the operation of critical public and private-sector facilities.

The CSE is 害羞草研究所渃oncerned about the opportunities for critical infrastructure disruption, particularly with regard to internet-connected operational technology that underpins industrial processes,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淪tate-sponsored cyberthreat actors may also target critical infrastructure to collect information through espionage; pre-position in case of future hostilities; or as a form of power projection and intimidation.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所擩ames McCarten, The Canadian Press

READ MORE: