AGO says it was hit by a ‘cyber security incident’ in September

The Art Gallery of Ontario says a “cyber security incident” affected its computer systems in September and may have resulted in a third party gaining unauthorized access to certain customer data.

In a statement and email to its members, the art gallery confirmed that an unauthorized third party had gained access to the internal shared server, but added that “the vast majority of customer data and credit card information was unaffected.”

The gallery said it is notifying customers who may have been affected after advice from legal counsel and security specialists, and in accordance with privacy laws.

In the email to members, the AGO said the breach affected its systems between September 9 and 18. It added that an investigation by security specialists was being undertaken to “gain a clearer understanding of the scale” of the breach.

Members called for people to keep an eye out for suspicious activity

The AGO said it recommends members remain vigilant and take steps to prevent phishing attempts, identity theft and fraud. Members are urged to monitor accounts and account statements to detect suspicious activity.

The art gallery said it will take steps to strengthen its computer systems, which may include introducing new authentication measures.

“We deeply regret that this incident occurred. The security of your data is of the utmost importance to us and we remain committed to protecting it,” the AGO said in the email.

“Despite our best efforts, the AGO was not immune to the type of cybersecurity incident that affected so many Canadian public and private sector organizations.”

Anyone with questions can contact the AGO at [email protected] or (416) 979-6608.