Ontario’s top judges are cautioning individuals in the province who have engaged with the court system that their private details may have been compromised in a cyber assault. The disclosure was made through an online announcement on September 2 by Ontario Chief Justice Michael H. Tulloch, Chief Justice Patrick J. Boucher of the Ontario Superior Court, and Chief Justice Sharon M. Nicklas of the Ontario Court of Justice.
The breach occurred on an online case-management platform known as C-Track, operated by Thomson Reuters Canada Limited, as disclosed by the notice. C-Track is utilized by the Court of Appeal for Ontario, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and the Ontario Court of Justice to store and handle court documents and records.
Thomson Reuters Canada Limited identified “unauthorized activity” within one of its cloud environments on June 30. After contacting law enforcement and conducting an internal investigation, it was revealed that the breach commenced in March, resulting in the unauthorized acquisition of court records from the Court of Appeal for Ontario, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and the Ontario Court of Justice.
While court data was impacted, it was clarified that the incident was not a result of any security lapse within the court networks or data systems.
The company informed that certain confidential, redacted, or sealed information may have been accessed for certain affected courts. Names and other personal information were potentially compromised, but the specifics regarding the type of personal data or the extent of records accessed were not provided. Furthermore, it was not disclosed how far back the compromised records date.
Additional cybersecurity measures have been implemented to enhance the protection of C-Track systems and data. The company assured that their products and services continue to operate securely.
A call center has been established for inquiries, and credit monitoring services are being extended to those affected. The company did not specify the number of Ontario residents at risk due to the cyberattack.
The statement issued by the chief justices acknowledges the uncertainty surrounding the exact content of the accessed files. However, it emphasized the possibility that personal information of individuals involved in court proceedings or mentioned in court documents might have been involved in the breach.
Apart from Ontario, several court systems in the United States using C-Track also experienced the same cybersecurity incident. Affected states include Alabama, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, and New Hampshire, as well as Wyoming and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
A website established for the affected in the U.S. mentioned that compromised personal information may include driver’s license numbers, social security numbers, and medical records. The New Hampshire Judicial Branch specified that the records affected in its system span from 2002 to 2015.
In closing, the statement from Ontario’s chief justices reassures the public of the courts’ commitment to prioritizing privacy and security. It underscores the dedication to transparency and collaboration with the government to fortify security measures and mitigate similar incidents in the future.
