Password protected laptop stolen from employee’s vehicle in November
The University of Ottawa has given notice of a potential privacy breach impacting 188 people, including elementary and high school students who attended a summer program on campus.
The breach stems from an incident in late November 2019 when a password-protected laptop was stolen from a university employee’s vehicle, the administration said in a press release on Friday.
The laptop was used for Destination Clic, a three-week summer program at the U of O for francophone students in grades 8 and 9 who live outside of Quebec. The program ran from June 28 to July 16 last year.
“It was determined that the personal information related to 188 program participants and employees may have been stored on the laptop,” the administration said. “We do not have any evidence that suggests any past participant or employee information was accessed in an unauthorized manner. Additionally, we do not have evidence to suggest the laptop was taken with the intent of extracting information.”
The U of O says it is reviewing its information handling practices to ensure sensitive information is properly maintained, stored and securely protected.
“Privacy is a U of O priority and that includes the protection of any sensitive or personal information,” the administration says.
