Toronto Public Library says sensitive data may have been exposed in cybersecurity incident

The Toronto Public Library (TPL) says sensitive data may have been “exposed” as a result of an ongoing cybersecurity incident that knocked down its website two weeks ago.

TPL says they have filed a report with Toronto police and a further investigation needs to be done before they can determine the individuals affected and “the extent of the exposure.”

“We continue to actively collaborate with third-party experts to assess the scope of the exposure and individuals impacted,” reads a Friday statement. “We anticipate the investigation will take some time to complete.”

The library was able to confirm the incident was a ransomware attack earlier this week after initially saying they had no evidence that any personal information was at risk.

The attack shut down the public computers and printing services at all branches, as well as the library’s website, “your account” service, tpl:map passes and digital collections.

“We understand how much the public relies on our services, and fully acknowledge and share the frustration caused by our inability to provide our full offering of services,” TPL says. “We are actively working to establish a timeline for service restoration, and will promptly share this information once it’s available.”

Branches remain open with wifi available and phone lines working. When the issue began the library said customers could continue to borrow and return items “until further notice.”