'Technical error' shares log-in information of hundreds of students attending online classes with TVO
Hundreds of students who attend an online high school operated by TVO are being asked to change their passwords after a “technical error” last week led to their personal log-in information being leaked to other students.
Students who attend TVO ILC (formerly known as the Independent Learning Centre) contacted CTV News Toronto about the breach, sharing emails that detailed the name, course and login information of another student. The emails were titled “you’re getting closer to the finish line.”
TVO’s Director of Communication confirmed the emails were sent on Jan. 6 as a result of a “technical error” by a third-party service provider.
“As a result, certain students had information such as their name and login credentials exposed to another student,” Lsan Tzadu said in a statement.
“As soon as we became aware of the exposure, we immediately restricted access to the system for all users while we investigated the problem and implemented protocols to reset login credentials.”
Tzadu said the broadcaster immediately informed the Ministry of Education and Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner about the breaks.
TVO ILC offers more than 144 online courses to over 20,000 students across 72 school boards in Ontario. It is not clear exactly how many people were impacted by the technical error, but Tzadu said it was at least “several hundreds.”
Impacted students were notified of the breach in an email and told that if their password information was sent out, they will receive a notification to reset their login credentials. They were also urged to delete the erroneous email and clear their deleted messages.
TVO would not confirm to CTV News Toronto which third-party service provider was involved in the breach. There was no privacy breach or mass leak of information, Tzadu said, and all accounts have been secured.
Tzadu added this was an “isolated incident” and the system was back in operation the same day it was disrupted.
“We take the privacy of your students and all individuals very seriously, and are working with our service provider to further investigate the incident and to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” Tzadu said.
“We are continuing outreach and support activities to affected students to ensure their learning is not disrupted.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.