TTC investigating ransomware attack that compromised multiple servers
The Toronto Transit Commission says it is investigating a ransomware attack that knocked down some of its communications system and affected a number of its services Friday.
In a statement issued Friday evening, the TTC said they first became aware of the attack Thursday when an IT employee discovered that there was an "unusual network activity."
The TTC said the impact of the hack was initially "minimal," but mid-Friday, "hackers broadened their strike on network servers."
"We discovered it late yesterday afternoon, late evening. And then today, it really, really became quite apparent. A number of our servers were compromised," TTC spokesperson Stuart Green told CP24.
"Right now, our priority is on securing our system. And then we'll figure out how it all happened and to make sure it doesn't happen again."
The attack has crippled the TTC's Vision System, which is used to communicate with vehicle operators.
"We do have radio backup, so there's no issue communicating with the operators," Green said.
Hackers also took down the 'Next Vehicle Information System' on platform screens, trip-planning apps, the TTC website, and the online Wheel-Trans online booking portal.
The TTC's internal email service was also affected.
"I'm talking to you on my personal phone because we don't have network systems here or network service here at the TTC office. So, I don't have email. I don't have internet service. So that's the kind of thing that's being impacted right now," Stuart said.
The TTC noted that there were no major service disruptions during the attack and "there is no risk to employee or customer safety."
Stuart said they have called in law enforcement and are working with cybersecurity experts, including the City of Toronto's IT department, to determine what happened.
"We think we've contained it by now. We do have to do some testing and some maintenance overnight just to make sure that our systems are secure and safe," he said.
When asked if the TTC has been contacted by hackers to ask for ransom, Stuart said, “As these things are criminal investigations, there’s nothing I can say about what’s going to happen there will let the police do their work, law enforcement.”
The TTC announced that it cancelling its planned subway closure on Saturday between St. Clair and College stations
"Our priority right now is on securing our system, making sure that we can get our customer information systems and our vision system fully back online," he said.
"We'll do some due diligence and make sure that we've addressed all the safety concerns that we have about our systems' security."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
She thought her children just had a cough or fever. A mother shares sons' experience with walking pneumonia
A mother shares with CTVNews.ca her family's health scare as medical experts say cases of the disease and other respiratory illnesses have surged, filling up emergency departments nationwide.
Trump chooses Pam Bondi for attorney general pick after Gaetz withdraws
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Thursday named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general just hours after his other choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration.
Putin says Russia attacked Ukraine with a new missile that he claims the West can't stop
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Thursday that Moscow has tested a new intermediate-range missile in a strike on Ukraine, and he warned that it could use the weapon against countries that have allowed Kyiv to use their missiles to strike Russia.
Here's a list of items that will be GST/HST-free over the holidays
Canadians won’t have to pay GST on a selection of items this holiday season, the prime minister vowed on Thursday.
A one-of-a-kind Royal Canadian Mint coin sells for more than $1.5M
A rare one-of-a-kind pure gold coin from the Royal Canadian Mint has sold for more than $1.5 million. The 99.99 per cent pure gold coin, named 'The Dance Screen (The Scream Too),' weighs a whopping 10 kilograms and surpassed the previous record for a coin offered at an auction in Canada.
Video shows octopus 'hanging on for dear life' during bomb cyclone off B.C. coast
Humans weren’t the only ones who struggled through the bomb cyclone that formed off the B.C. coast this week, bringing intense winds and choppy seas.
Taylor Swift's motorcade spotted along Toronto's Gardiner Expressway
Taylor Swift is officially back in Toronto for round two. The popstar princess's motorcade was seen driving along the Gardiner Expressway on Thursday afternoon, making its way to the downtown core ahead of night four of ‘The Eras Tour’ at the Rogers Centre.
Service Canada holding back 85K passports amid Canada Post mail strike
Approximately 85,000 new passports are being held back by Service Canada, which stopped mailing them out a week before the nationwide Canada Post strike.