15°c Overcast
21°c Cloudy with showers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Data breach has Manitobans fearful
-- Worried that scammers may strike years later -- Ottawa's measures so far unsatisfactory
OTTAWA -- Manitobans whose personal data were on a hard drive the federal government lost last fall fear it could be years before they will feel comfortable their identities won't be stolen.
The RCMP and the federal privacy commissioner are both investigating the missing hard drive, which was discovered missing by staff at Human Resources and Skills Development Canada last November. The hard drive contained the names, birth dates, addresses, social insurance numbers and student-loan balances of 583,000 people who had loans through the Canada Student Loans Program between 2000 and 2006.
"How does something like this even happen?" asked Angela.
"I expect the government of all places would definitely have measures in place to prevent this."
Angela, 34, didn't want her full name used in the newspaper. Neither did Erin, also 34, who said her fear is someone could hang on to this information for years before trying to use it to hack bank accounts or set up false credit cards or get other identification.
"This could be years and years that this affects me," she said.
Neither found the information provided via a toll-free line set up for people to call particularly helpful or reassuring.
Erin said she got through quite quickly -- which surprised her -- but all the person on the phone did was tell her she'd be getting a letter with information on how to protect herself.
"Which is a little ironic, because I did protect my information, (it's the government which) didn't."
The hard drive was discovered missing from an office in Gatineau, Que, on Nov. 5 by an employee who had stored it in a filing cabinet. Management was not informed until Nov. 22. A detailed analysis of the files on the hard drive was completed Dec. 6. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner was notified on Dec. 14. HRSDC Minister Diane Finley called in the RCMP on Jan. 7. The news was made public Jan. 11 and the toll-free line set up Jan. 14.
A spokeswoman for the department said the delay in informing the police and the public came because search efforts were underway trying to find the hard drive, and then to determine who was affected.
In a statement Jan. 11, Finley called this an "unacceptable and avoidable incident."
It is the second time in a month her department has had to admit it lost people's personal information. Last month, it was a USB stick containing the names, social insurance numbers, medical records, birthdates, education levels, occupations and disability payments information of 5,000 clients who had applied for disability pensions.
Anne-Marie Hayden, director of communications for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, said the commissioner is investigating both breaches and likely will report on the findings in her annual report to Parliament. She said there is no set time frame for an investigation but last year, the average investigation took about seven months.
Both Erin and Angela said they think the government should do more to compensate people for time and energy spent trying to keep themselves protected now. Angela said, for example, it cost her two hours of time and $5.25 to get her bank and the credit rating companies to mark her file with a notation.
"I shouldn't have to pay for a mistake the government made," she said, noting it's not a lot of money, it's the principle of the matter.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 16, 2013 A4
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
Poll
Most Popular Local
- MTS becomes takeover target
- Keeping the e-party going without the party-crashers
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- Overnight stabbings probed
- Teachers vote to donate $1.5M to human rights museum
- PST hike a 'difficult decision' but necessary, NDP official says
- Infamous, chronic pedophile declines to seek parole
- Premier defends PST hike at NDP convention
- Doctor charged with sexually assaulting teen at HSC
- Several held in gun sighting
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Crash claims two young women, RCMP say
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- Police identify slaying victims
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- City's first urban reserve born
- The end of the credit card?
- 2 dead in crash near Portage la Prairie
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Unjust justice: Still no aboriginal court in Manitoba
- MTS becomes takeover target
- SCU pulls Bill 18 petition
- Teachers vote to donate $1.5M to human rights museum
- Keeping the e-party going without the party-crashers
- City's first urban reserve born
- Walk about among 'roos at zoo, mate
- Former CEO 'disappointed' Allstream leaves Manitoba
- Overnight stabbings probed
- You can bet the farm on housebarns
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Fishing for fashion
- City's first urban reserve born
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- Core grocer a challenge: expert
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- City chiropractor guilty of beating, sexually assaulting ex-girlfriend
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- North End proud
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- A child-custody catastrophe
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.