Girl Guides of Canada dealing with cyber breach
Posted October 1, 2020 1:50 pm.
Last Updated October 1, 2020 2:50 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — About four months after it happened, the Girl Guides of Canada says it’s responding to a cyber attack that may have included access to the roster information involving at least one B.C. unit.
In an email sent to a parent in September – and shared with NEWS 1130 – the Guides first discovered the cyber attack on May 25, 2020. In the note, the group says those responsible for the breach have not been identified.
Girl Guides of Canada says about 20 per cent of those who were notified are residents of B.C., and that there is no reason to believe victims were directly targeted.
“We are notifying you out of an abundance of caution because we cannot rule out that the unidentified party may have gained access to your child’s/children’s name, address, email (if provided), date of birth and emergency contact.”
As a result, the Guides recommend parents connect with anyone who might be an emergency contact for their child.
“If a second parent/guardian was listed on your child’s/children’s profile, we also recommend that you notify them of the incident. We also recommend that you and your child/children remain vigilant regarding any suspicious emails asking to open any attachments or click on links, or emails or telephone calls or text messages requesting personal information. These requests could be scams.”
The group is also working with CyberScout to help those who may have been impacted by this breach.
In a statement to NEWS 1130, the Girl Guides of Canada says it needed some time before notifying parents and guardians.
“Prior to notification, it was necessary for us to thoroughly investigate the situation, ensure the incident was contained and that there was no further risk, and identify the individuals who may have been affected. This process takes time and we wanted to be sure that no issues were overlooked.”
It says it understands and regrets any concern caused.
“Girl Guides of Canada treats confidentiality and the protection of personal information with the utmost importance, and we are taking steps to further enhance the security of our systems.”
As for credit card information, the Girl Guides of Canada also says fewer than 50 donors are impacted by these events.
The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia says it has not received any notice from the Guides about this breach.
