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People should not submit information to Crime Stoppers agencies in Saskatchewan for the time being due to a national data breach, according to a joint news release from agencies across the province.
The release, which was issued on Friday, confirmed the impact of the national leak in Saskatchewan, saying “the stolen data included information that could potentially identify some people who provided tips.”
Crime Stoppers programs across the country are pausing after CBC News exposed the extent of the breach across Canada involving P3, a software company, earlier this week.
“Through legal counsel, we are still seeking answers from Navigate360, the company that owns P3, about the extent of the impact in Saskatchewan, but what we know now is enough for us to act,” the statement said.
People should call 911 if there is a crime happening or if someone is in danger, or contact their local police station to report a crime that is not an emergency, the release said.
The non-profit organizations say the pause is temporary.
At least seven Crime Stoppers chapters have announced they are suspending programs a day after CBC revealed the extent of a massive data leak. Former RCMP superintendent Garry Clement talks to Hanomansing Tonight about how valuable the program has been for law enforcement agencies.
One expert said the national impact stands out.
Michael Geist, the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law and a law professor at the University of Ottawa, previously said that the leak “strikes me as potentially one of the most harmful data breaches we’ve ever seen in Canada.”
