Ontario government employee among two charged in COVID-19 vaccine portal breach
A government employee is among two people charged following an investigation into a security breach related to Ontario's COVID-19 immunization system.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say they were first asked to investigate the breach on Nov. 17 after the government received reports of spam text messages received by individuals who scheduled appointments or accessed vaccine certificates through the COVID-19 immunization system.
The security breach was confirmed publicly on Monday, with the Solicitor General's office telling CTV News Toronto that the reported texts were "financial in nature."
CTV News Toronto spoke with two residents who received phishing text messages they believe could have been related to the breach. Both messages were addressed to their children using their full names.
"What really triggered it for me was the spelling of her name. It was her name, her full name with middle name, and her middle name was fully capitalized and the only time I've ever seen that was on her vaccine passport," Toronto resident Carla Embleton said.
Ottawa resident Mike Primeau said he received a similar text to his cell phone saying that his son had been sent "a reimbursement of $163.36" and was asked to reply to receive the payment.
A spam text message is seen in this photograph provided to CTV News Toronto by Mike Primeau.
Primeau was the one who registered his entire family—including his son—for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Multiple other people reported receiving text messages with either their full names or the full names of their children; however the requests differed slightly.
In a news release issued Tuesday, investigators said that two search warrants—one in Quebec and another in Ottawa—were executed on Nov. 22 in connection with the security breach. Several devices, computers and laptops were seized.
As a result of the investigation, 21-year-old Gloucester resident Ayoub Sayid and 22-year-old Rahim Abdu from Vaudreuil-Dorio were taken into custody.
They were both charged with Unauthorized Use of a Computer contrary to s. 342.1(1)(c) of the Criminal Code.
Police say that Sayid was an employee of the Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Services in the vaccine contact centre.
"Following a swift and thorough investigation, which included both internal and external experts, the OPP has charged an individual who worked through a third party vendor in the vaccine booking call centre, but is no longer employed by the government," a spokesperson for the Solicitor General said.
"This investigation confirmed that no personal health information was accessed, and that Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine booking system remains secure and continues to be a safe tool for Ontarians to use."'
In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Ontario NDP critic for Technology Development and Innovation Chris Glover called the breach “incredibly troubling.”
“Premier Doug Ford must immediately tell people what actions he’s taking to determine how many people’s personal health and contact information has been compromised, what is now being done to inform and protect those people, and how the system is being changed to prevent further breaches,” the statement read.
The charges have not been proven in court.
The OPP warned that members of the public should always be suspicious of text messages asking for financial or private information. Anyone who suspects fraudulent activity should report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or by calling 1-888-495-8501.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.
Jesus is their saviour, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values
As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian trappings while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among evangelicals and other conservative Christians.