TransLink warns staff hackers accessed personal banking information in cyberattack - BC | Globalnews.ca
TransLink staff have been told that a cyberattack early this month accessed personal banking information and other files, and is advising employees to sign up for credit monitoring.
In an internal email to employees at Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC) obtained by Global News Wednesday, staff were told the attackers “accessed and may have copied files from a restricted network drive” that contains payroll information for TransLink, CMBC and Metro Vancouver Transit Police employees, along with other network drives.
“Those restricted network drives include files that contain banking information and some social insurance numbers,” the email says.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT
The company says it is quickly working to determine exactly what files were accessed and identify the individuals affected. Those employees will be given a detailed description of what information has been compromised “as soon as possible.”
All employees are being urged to sign up for two-year credit monitoring, which is being provided through the workers’ union at no cost to staff.
Click to play video 'Some services restored after TransLink ransomware attack'
1:48
Some services restored after TransLink ransomware attack
Some services restored after TransLink ransomware attack – Dec 4, 2020
Global News reached out to Translink on Wednesday evening, and heard back from Translink Spokesperson Ben Murphy via email, who confirms the information contained in the leaked email.
Murphy stresses that this is an issue of concern only to Translink employees, not customers.
“Importantly, as we outlined previously, TransLink does not store or have access to Compass customer fare payment information,” said Murphy. “We are now in the process of gradually bringing priority systems back online as safely as possible.”
In an internal email to employees at Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC) obtained by Global News Wednesday, staff were told the attackers “accessed and may have copied files from a restricted network drive” that contains payroll information for TransLink, CMBC and Metro Vancouver Transit Police employees, along with other network drives.
“Those restricted network drives include files that contain banking information and some social insurance numbers,” the email says.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT
The company says it is quickly working to determine exactly what files were accessed and identify the individuals affected. Those employees will be given a detailed description of what information has been compromised “as soon as possible.”
All employees are being urged to sign up for two-year credit monitoring, which is being provided through the workers’ union at no cost to staff.
Click to play video 'Some services restored after TransLink ransomware attack'
1:48
Some services restored after TransLink ransomware attack
Some services restored after TransLink ransomware attack – Dec 4, 2020
Global News reached out to Translink on Wednesday evening, and heard back from Translink Spokesperson Ben Murphy via email, who confirms the information contained in the leaked email.
Murphy stresses that this is an issue of concern only to Translink employees, not customers.
“Importantly, as we outlined previously, TransLink does not store or have access to Compass customer fare payment information,” said Murphy. “We are now in the process of gradually bringing priority systems back online as safely as possible.”
