Cellular Airborne Sensor for Search and Rescue (CASSAR)
1. The Canadian Armed Forces and Canada's National Search and Rescue Program
'Search and Rescue' (SAR) refers to operations mounted by trained personnel to find a lost, injured, or otherwise distressed person, or to recover victims from a disaster. In Canada, SAR is a responsibility shared by all levels of government and supported by both the private sector and volunteers. This network of partners – public, private, and volunteer – work together under Canada's National SAR Program (or NSP), which resides with Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada.
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is responsible for aeronautical SAR. It is also responsible for the effective operation of Canada's coordinated aeronautical and maritime SAR system. While ground SAR and other humanitarian operations fall outside of the military's primary SAR responsibilities, the CAF are often called upon to assist other federal departments or provincial/territorial governments.
2. Cellular Airborne Sensor for Search and Rescue Project
In January 2021, following extensive studies and consultations, DND/CAF began a process to procure and implement a Cellular Airborne Sensor for Search and Rescue (CASSAR) system. CASSAR systems use mobile phone detection capabilities to locate the mobile phones of persons in distress. Today, nearly 85% of Canadians own a mobile device, and these devices (when operating) can be used to lead SAR teams to an individual's exact location – even in areas with no network coverage. The system turns phones into emergency beacons that quickly guide SAR teams to the precise location of the missing person, significantly improving the success of missions. CASSAR systems can also help reduce sweep times during SAR operations, and require less manpower, thereby significantly reducing SAR costs.
3. Purpose and Scope of the Privacy Impact Assessment
DND is named in the Schedule to the Privacy Act and is subject to the privacy policies and directives of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS). Under the TBS Policy on Privacy Protection, all federal institutions subject to the Privacy Act are required to undertake an assessment of the privacy impacts associated with the development or design of new programs or services involving personal information (or when making significant changes to an existing program or service).
Whereas the CAF's new CASSAR system will collect and use personal information, DND elected to undertake a PIA in relation to its use and implementation by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Information collected by the CASSAR system will be used by the RCAF in SAR activities, and to support decisions made by SAR operators in the search, identification, and rescue of identifiable individuals.
4. Privacy Analysis
Based on the results of the PIA, privacy risks arising from the collection, use, disclosure, and retention of personal information using the CASSAR system are expected to be low. Potential impacts on the privacy of individuals are being properly managed by DND/CAF through appropriate technical and policy measures geared at the protection of that information. Recommendations included in PIA are expected to reduce project risks to an acceptable level.
5. Risk Area Identification and Categorization
| Risk Area | Risk Level |
|---|---|
| A: Type of Program or Activity | Level of Risk to Privacy |
| Personal information is used to make decisions that may directly affect the individual to whom the information belongs. | 2 |
| B: Type of Personal Information Involved and Context | Level of Risk to Privacy |
| Personal information is collected from the individual, or from another trusted source, with consent, and is not contextually sensitive at the time of collection. | 2 |
| C: Program or Activity Partners and Private Sector Involvement | Level of Risk to Privacy |
| Personal information may be shared within the department only (that is, amongst one or more programs within the department). | 1 |
| D: Duration of the Program or Activity | Level of Risk to Privacy |
| The program is intended to be long-term. It builds on an existing or established program with no clear “sunset” date. | 3 |
| E: Program Population | Level of Risk to Privacy |
| The program affects certain individuals for external administrative purposes. | 3 |
| F: Technology and Privacy | Level of Risk to Privacy |
| Does the program or activity involve the implementation of a new electronic system, software, or application that will be used for the collection, creation, or processing of personal information? | Yes |
| Does the program or activity require substantial modifications to an existing or legacy IT system? | No |
| Does the program or activity involve the use of potentially privacy invasive technologies? | Yes |
| Does the program involve covert surveillance or the use of surveillance technologies? | No |
| Does the program or activity rely on machine learning, automated personal information analysis, personal information matching, or other or personal information discovery techniques? | No |
| G: Personal Information Transmission | Level of Risk to Privacy |
| The personal information is used within a closed system (i.e., a system with no connections to the Internet, Intranet or any other system). Circulation of hardcopy records is controlled. | 1 |
| I: Risk Impact to the Individual or Employee | Level of Risk to Privacy |
| Little to no harm. Inconvenience. | 1 |
| H: Risk Impact to the Department | Level of Risk to Privacy |
| Managerial harm. Processes must be reviewed, tools must be changed, a change in service provider or program partner may be required. | 1 |
6. Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
How does the CASSAR system work?
Cell phone service providers provide continuous coverage to their customers by having local towers communicate with and identify all cellphones in a local area. The constant transmission of identifier data is important to delivering seamless and tailored services and content to mobile users. When there is no tower available however, the cell phone will look for a cell tower to identify itself. DND/CAF's CASSAR system essentially mimics a cellphone tower to capture location and other information from an operating cellphone.
DND/CAF's CASSAR system work whenever the missing individual is carrying a cellphone, even when they are not in range of a cellular communication provider. The CASSAR system also works in the case of a missing airplane (e.g., a forced landing or crash) or maritime vessel where a cell phone is in working condition, but the owner of the cell phone is not able to use it.
Once contact is established, a SAR aircraft can be maneuvered to allow SAR crews to triangulate the person's cellphone position. In addition, it is possible to phone the person directly in order to establish their rescue requirements before deploying SAR personnel. Having direct communications with the missing person(s) even before they are located, greatly facilitates search efforts and rescue operation.
How and when will DND/CAF's CASSAR system be used?
The CASSAR system will only be used by DND/CAF as part of an approved SAR operation. Its purpose is to help identify and locate an individual that is lost, injured, or otherwise in distress, or to recover victims from a disaster. It will only be used in emergencies, and only then where there is a clear benefit to the individual at risk. DND/CAF's CASSAR system allows SAR personnel to more quickly locate a missing person. It also allows a rescue team to communicate with a missing person and to quickly assess their state (including medical needs).
What information does DND/CAF collect and use in the operation of its CASSAR system?
While personal information collected in relation to a SAR operation will vary on a case-by-case basis, only a device's International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number is collected in the operation of DND/CAF's CASSAR system. That information is collected, by law, from Canadian network service providers. Using the IMSI number, an RCAF SAR operator can determine (and may collect and use) an individual's geo-location. While the CASSAR system can be used to communicate with a mobile device, it is not capable of collecting the content of private communications, including voice and audio communications, email messages, text messages, contact lists, images, encryption keys or basic subscriber information.
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