Nova Scotia Power says ransomware hackers have published stolen data

Nova Scotia Power has fallen victim to a ransomware attack, confirming that hackers have stolen data and published it on the dark web. Peter Gregg, the president and CEO of the utility, revealed that approximately 280,000 customers in the province have had their information compromised, which accounts for over half of the customer base.

According to Gregg, the attack was carried out by a highly sophisticated threat actor, leading to a ransom demand. However, no payment has been made as advised by law enforcement and cybersecurity experts. The utility has enlisted the help of cybersecurity professionals to investigate the breach and bolster their defenses for the future. Fortunately, the operations side of the business remains unaffected by the cyber incident.

Nova Scotia Power and its parent company, Emera, disclosed the cybersecurity incident in late April after discovering the breach on April 25. Further investigation revealed that the data breach occurred over a month earlier, around March 19, and culminated in the theft of sensitive customer information.

Customers have started receiving notifications from Nova Scotia Power, alerting them to the unauthorized access of certain parts of the company’s network and servers. The stolen data includes personal details such as names, phone numbers, email addresses, mailing addresses, dates of birth, account histories, driver’s license information, social insurance numbers, and bank account numbers.

In response to the breach, Nova Scotia Power is offering affected customers a two-year free credit monitoring service from TransUnion. The company also advises customers to remain vigilant against unsolicited communications requesting personal information.

Cybersecurity expert Claudiu Popa emphasized the need for transparency and accountability from Nova Scotia Power regarding the breach. He suggested that personalized notifications should be sent to each affected customer, detailing the specific information stolen. Popa warned of the diverse ways in which hackers could exploit the stolen data for fraudulent activities like identity theft.

Meanwhile, customers like Kevin Smith expressed dissatisfaction with Nova Scotia Power’s handling of the situation. Smith criticized the vague language used in the notification letter and questioned the adequacy of the two-year credit monitoring service. He highlighted the lack of accountability from the utility and raised concerns about the delayed discovery and disclosure of the breach.

Smith’s trust in Nova Scotia Power has been significantly shaken by the incident, reflecting the broader sentiment of customers affected by the ransomware attack. Despite the challenges faced, the company is working to restore its systems, fortify its defenses, and prevent similar incidents in the future.