329,000 Affected By CPA Canada Phishing Attack

Exploit: Phishing
Company: Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA)
Industry: Financial
Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cpa-canada-discloses-data-breach-affecting-329-000-individuals/?&web_view=true

After falling victim to a successful phishing attack in April, CPA Canada has disclosed that personal information of their members and users of their website has been compromised. After concluding the initial investigation, the organization has determined that following the attack unauthorized third parties gained access to the website and compromised personal information of over 329,000 members. Those affected by the breach were primarily CPA Canada magazine subscribers and website users.

While the incident took place in April, the organization has not provided a specific date and time, only that they were able to contain the incident within the compromised system. Individuals that were affected have now been identified and notified by the organization.

Financial information including full credit card numbers and passwords were exposed but CPA Canada has stated that these items were all “protected by encryption.” Other compromised personal information includes names, addresses, email addresses and employer names, according to the breach notification.

CPA Canada is taking measures by continuing to monitor their web platform security and is ensuring that the process has since remained secure. They are also continuing to warn members of the ongoing targeted phishing campaign that struck in April stating, “We have been made aware of suspicious security email notifications members are receiving asking them to change their CPA Canada password due to a security breach on cpacanada.ca." The company is also taking measures by warning those affected to stay vigilante and not disclose further sensitive information, click on links, or download malicious attachments from emails that may appear to come from CPA Canada, its employees or affiliates.

For anyone possibly affected by the CPA Canadad breach, it may be wise to change their passwords used on other platforms/accounts, monitor financial accounts, and possibly even look into dark web monitoring services over the next few months.

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