The University of Winnipeg has confirmed the personal information of students and faculty was stolen during a cyberattack last week.
University officials said data from a university file server was compromised during the attack, in an update they provided to the campus community Thursday afternoon.
The stolen data includes names, birth dates, street addresses, social insurance numbers, tuition amounts and employee compensation information.
A cyberattack on the University of Winnipeg was discovered March 24. (MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES)
“Our community has been subject to a cyber crime. It is disturbing that higher education institutions like the university and other public-sector organizations are being targeted by cyberattacks,” the university said.
“This has been a terrible incident that has directly impacted our community, and for that we are deeply sorry. Rest assured that we will carefully consider the results of our investigation with a commitment to emerge from this incident with stronger cyber defences.”
The university has compiled a list of students and faculty members whose information is believed to have been compromised.
It includes current and former staff employed since 2003; students enrolled in U of W undergraduate and graduate programs since the academic year that started in September 2018; students enrolled in Professional, Applied and Continuing Education and English Language Program programs since the academic year that started in September 2019 and students to whom the university has issued T4A forms since 2016.
tyeler.searle@freepress.mb.ca
Tyler Searle
Reporter
Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press’ city desk. Since joining the paper in 2022, he has found himself driving through blizzards, documenting protests and scouring the undersides of bridges for potential stories.