Canadian Mennonite University students, staff victims of cyberattack

Canadian Mennonite University students and employees have been victims of a cyberattack that compromised their personal information last month. The attack, carried out by an "unknown third party," allowed the intruder to access the university's information technology systems without authorization on September 18. Canadian Mennonite University president Cheryl Pauls informed the university community about the breach, stating that the university had immediately initiated its incident response plan, retained expert assistance, and informed the community as soon as the incident was discovered.

The stolen data is believed to include T4 forms of current and former employees, T2202 forms of current and former students, T4A forms of students, TD1 and Manitoba Personal Tax Credits Return forms, and records of employment for 2020 and between 2023-2026. These documents contain sensitive information such as social insurance numbers, addresses, employment details, and financial records.

Pauls warned that the investigation is ongoing, and the full extent of the breach remains unknown. However, it is clear that the attack affected several groups, including current and former students, employees, faculty, and administrators. In response to the incident, the university has offered affected individuals a complimentary two-year credit monitoring service.

This service will help protect individuals from potential identity theft and fraud. Pauls emphasized the importance of the service, urging eligible individuals to enroll to ensure their protection. The university has contacted those eligible for the service via email, and those who do not receive an email by Friday are asked to contact the university at privacyquestions@cmu.ca.