Nova Scotia Power customers handed ‘to-do list’ after ransomware attack

The recent cyber breach at Nova Scotia Power has left many customers frustrated as they try to navigate the aftermath of having their personal information stolen. The utility announced the security breach in late April, revealing that about 280,000 customers in Nova Scotia were affected by a ransomware attack. Letters were sent out to those impacted, but for many, the process of dealing with the breach has been anything but smooth.

One such customer, Brian Yee, a retired teacher in Halifax, expressed his frustration with the situation. He received a letter from Nova Scotia Power notifying him of the breach and was provided with a temporary password to validate a credit monitoring account. However, Yee found it difficult to get in touch with the credit monitoring agency TransUnion, spending a significant amount of time on hold on the phone.

Yee questioned the level of responsibility Nova Scotia Power is taking in resolving the situation and ensuring that similar breaches do not occur in the future. He also raised concerns about the adequacy of the two years of credit monitoring being offered to affected customers, feeling that more guidance and support is needed from the utility.

Another customer, Diane Newman-Betts from Halifax, found herself dealing with the consequences of the breach when $30,000 disappeared from her bank account. She noticed suspicious transactions on her Manulife bank account and later received a letter from Nova Scotia Power, connecting the dots to the cyber breach. While Newman-Betts cannot be certain that the breach caused the missing money, her bank has assured her that the funds will be restored.

Despite the challenges faced by affected customers, Nova Scotia Power has not provided any updates on the ransomware attack. As customers continue to navigate the aftermath of the breach, it is clear that more support and communication are needed from the utility to ensure a smoother resolution for those impacted.