(Quebec) The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) is investigating a breach of the confidentiality of a Quebec government official concerning the personal information of more than 30,000 people.
Posted at 2:35 p.m.
“Working documents that belong to the Government of Quebec as well as files that contain the personal information of citizens were found, on external computer media, at the home of an employee, which contravenes security practices in force,” the Treasury Board Secretariat said in a press release on Wednesday.
The Secretariat, headed by Minister Sonia LeBel, therefore “asked the Sûreté du Québec to conduct an investigation and assess the impact of this breach of confidentiality”. For the moment, we add, “there is no indication that this data has been used for malicious purposes”. “We would like to reassure everyone, according to our current information, no personal data has been transmitted, made accessible, distributed or used by third parties for criminal purposes. The Treasury Board Secretariat will join the people affected by this situation in the coming days,” said Ms.me LeBel.
“The surname, first name and social insurance number of citizens” of 31,450 people are found in databases created between 2009 and 2012 “and linked to the candidate qualification process”.
Citizens affected by this leak “will be informed by letter in the coming weeks”. The Secretariat also specifies that Minister Éric Caire’s Government Cyber Defense Center has been “seized of the situation”.