Major data breach at one of Canada's largest investment firms 'so dangerous'
CTV
The data breach of client’s social insurance numbers at one of Canada’s largest investment firms is “so dangerous,” according to a former high-level employee at the company.
A data breach of social insurance numbers (SIN) belonging to the clientele of one of Canada’s largest investment firms is “so dangerous,” according to a former high-level employee at the company.
Terry Beck was the Manager of Operations at Mackenzie Investments, and an employee at the company for nearly 20 years, up until he retired in 2019. When he left, he divested his investments.
Yet a couple weeks ago, he said he received a letter from the corporation explaining that his SIN was compromised in a data breach.
Mackenzie informed clients in a letter dated April 27 that a third-party vendor, InvestorCOM Inc., was compromised by a cyber security incident related to data transfer supplier GoAnywhere. Clients' account numbers, names, and addresses were also compromised, according to one of the letters, reviewed by CTV News Toronto.
“This is so dangerous,” Beck told CTV News Toronto. “It’s an opening of a door to a lot of places.”
To work in Canada or access government programs and benefits, a nine-digit number – known as a SIN – is assigned to an individual. It is “private” and “illegal” for anyone else to use, according to the federal government.
“It’s the gateway to the government,” Beck said.
