Nearly a year after Algonquin’s computer server was hacked, compromising 1,200 Bachelor of information technology and Bachelor of Science in nursing students’ personal information, a new separate, unrelated incident caused by human error has resulted in 1,400 prospective Algonquin students’ personal information and entrance test results being emailed out.
The latest incident occurred on March 10 after an Excel file containing AC-HPAT test scores, along with the names, email addresses, student numbers, Ontario College Application Service number and first program choice of 1,400 prospective students were emailed out by Algonquin’s test center to 40 recipients who remain unidentified. The AC-HPAT is an Algonquin specific test taken by individuals applying to health programs that was only just adopted by the college in January 2016.
The college was alerted within an hour of the emails being sent and immediately took action. They recalled any that had not yet been opened and sent an addition email requesting recipients who had opened the email to promptly delete it.
But by that afternoon, the story had reached the media, nearly overshadowing the announcement of a $4.8-million-dollar investment in apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programming from the province on March 11.
Algonquin’s communications officer, Phil Gaudreau, told the media that the spread sheet attached to the email did not contain sensitive information.
In an email to the Times on March 11, Gaudreau reiterated that the incident was minor and did not involve any highly sensitive information.
However, a web story posted to the Ottawa Citizen and Ottawa Sun website indicated that lawyer Michael Crystal from Spiteri & Ursulak LLP was looking into the incident for a potential class action suit.
In a phone call to the Times on March 11, Crystal said that the firm looks into any privacy breaches of this nature and were only investigating the incident at that time and had not yet been retained by any clients.
The firm had previously considered class action against Everest College when they closed 14 Ontario campuses and filed for bankruptcy protection.
Crystal told the Times that typically with incidents involving a college, the college would pay into a fund to be dispersed amongst students impacted by any fallout.
Crystal has not yet responded to Times’ request for an update regarding the firm’s investigation.
By March 14, Gaudreau told the Times that the college was aware of the incident and would be putting a plan in place, which he later disclosed on March 22.
“To avoid any possibility of this incident re-occurring, AC-HPAT results will be provided immediately after an applicant completes their assessment. This procedure has been in place since March 10, 2016 and will continue as we move forward,” said Gaudreau.