WRPS now investigating cyber hack at Waterloo Regional District School Board
More than two months after first becoming aware of a cyber security incident, the Waterloo Region District Public School Board (WRDSB) has reported the hack to Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS).
According to police, they do not have an exact date, but said the report was made “recently.”
Previously the school board stated that the OPP Cyber Unit had been notified.
The OPP told CTV News: “Despite the response you received from the Waterloo District School Board, I have confirmed the following: If the school board has or were to report this incident it would need to be to the WRPS who would take the lead of an investigation. Sometimes in these cases, OPP will assist but only in a supporting role,” said OPP Acting Sergeant Erin Cranton.
CTV News reached out to WRDSB for clarification.
In an emailed statement the board reiterated that they reported the incident to OPP in July.
“A standard process recommended by the cyber experts was followed. Then additional information was reported to law enforcement both provincial and local,” the board said.
When asked why WRDSB waited until recently to report the incident to Waterloo regional police, the board did not answer.
CTV News also requested an interview with WRDSB, but no one from the board has been made available.
Both the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, and the Ministry of Education say they have been notified of the incident.
The full extent of the hack is not known.
In August, WRDSB confirmed "attackers accessed a restricted network drive that contained sensitive personal information related to payroll and benefits administration.”
Included in the drive were names, birthdates, banking information, and social insurance numbers of all current and past employees dating back to 1970.
The payroll history of employees dating back to 2012 was also accessed.
The board confirmed that it was the target of a criminal group, and several additional measures are being taken going forward to strengthen their system.
It was later revealed some staff were unable to access their EI due to the breach.
When it comes to student data, the board said it still is not sure what information was taken.
As of Aug. 29, WRDSB said the analysis is not complete, adding this is labour-intensive work that takes weeks.
Correction
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated it has been more than three months since the school board first became aware of the cyber incident on July 10. In fact, it has been more than two months since July 10.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.