OTTAWA: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Friday the force was investigating -- and at the same time trying to stop -- a major cyberattack on its networks.

"A breach of this magnitude is alarming," federal police spokesperson Marie-Eve Breton said in a statement, adding that the force was "actively managing" the threat.

No information was provided about the suspected source of the attack.

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The RCMP has launched a criminal investigation into the breach, vowing to "hold those responsible accountable."

With assistance from Canada's national cryptologic agency -- which provides Ottawa with IT security and foreign signals intelligence -- it said it was still assessing "the breadth and scope of the security breach."

"The situation is evolving quickly," explained Breton, adding that there was no impact on policing, and "at this time, no known impacts on safety and security partners in Canada or abroad."