Toronto Zoo dealing with cybersecurity incident

The Toronto Zoo is the latest local agency to be hit by a cyber attack.

The zoo says the ransomware/cyber incident was first detected on Jan. 5, 2024, and staff took immediate steps to determine its extent.

An investigation is underway to determine the impact on guests’, members’, and donors’ records.

The zoo said it does not store any credit card information, and the well-being and care of animals were not affected by the cyber attack.

The zoo is working with the city’s chief information security office and third-party cyber security experts to resolve the situation and has reported it to Toronto police. Normal operations at the Toronto Zoo will continue.

“Unfortunately, these incidents are becoming more and more common, and we are grateful we took steps over the past few years to upgrade our technology infrastructure,” Toronto Zoo spokesperson Katie Gray said.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this incident.”

The Toronto Public Library is still recovering from a ransomware attack that was first noticed in late October.

The Toronto Public Library said service will be restored gradually this month, calling it an “aggressive timeframe.” 

The library previously said the Oct. 28 cyberattack likely exposed the names, social insurance numbers, government identification numbers, and addresses of employees dating back to 1998. 

With files from The Canadian Press