Communications Security Establishment Canada

The Communications Security Establishment (CSE; , CST), formerly (from 2008-2014) called the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC), is the Government of Canada's national cryptologic agency. It is responsible for foreign signals intelligence (SIGINT) and communications security (COMSEC), protecting federal government electronic information and communication networks, and is the technical authority for cyber security and information assurance. Formally administered under the Department of National Defence (DND), the CSE is now a separate agency under the National Defence portfolio. The CSE is accountable to the Minister of National Defence through its deputy head, the Chief of CSE. The National Defence Minister is in turn accountable to the Cabinet and Parliament. The current Chief of the CSE is Caroline Xavier, who assumed the office on 31 August 2022. In 2015, the agency built a new headquarters and campus encompassing . The facility totals a little over and is adjacent to CSIS. History CSE originates from Canada's joint military and civilian code-breaking and intelligence efforts during the Second World War.