According to network security specialists, a data breach has exposed the information of nearly 3 million members of the Desjardins Canada credit union, including data from more than 170,000 organizations. Authorities have already contacted the Quebec-based organization, which is the largest federation of credit unions in North America.
Among the compromised information are details such as:
- Full names
- Address
- Email address
- Phone numbers
- Social Security numbers
- Financial details
Financial union officials say confidential details such as passwords, PIN keys and security questions have not been compromised during this incident.
The CEO and president of Desjardins states that the massive data breach was not due to a cyberattack, but was presented by a network security employee who intentionally accessed the information and shared it with third parties. The union fired the employee after the incident was discovered.
Desjardins is the financial institution with the largest presence in the Quebec area and is also active in Ontario. The organization was rated as one of the top 100 companies to work in Canada. That’s why the CEO said he was deeply disappointed that an employee with the trust of the cooperative has made the decision to steal confidential information, “it’s a situation we deeply regret”, the company’s official said.
Desjardins is also the only Canadian financial institution with a presence in more than 200 locations and has total assets estimated at $295 billion, and is also credited with multiple national distinctions and recognitions Foreign.
Network security specialists from the International Cyber Security Institute recommend cooperative members have questions about the security status of their confidential information by contacting Desjardins Canada directly, because the company will be informing them of any progress of the investigation, in addition to the measures that have been implemented to prevent further leaks.
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