A third-party vendor that provides emergency medical insurance coverage for short-term international students and visiting scholars experienced a cyberattack on June 18, 2021.

Guard.me has informed Brock University of this cybersecurity incident resulting from an unauthorized third-party unlawfully accessing Guard.me’s data systems. A number of other Canadian public sector organizations were also impacted by this breach, including other universities, and affected individuals have been notified by email.

Brock University takes the privacy of its students and community very seriously and has followed up with impacted students directly. The University sent out notices to the email addresses that were breached. However, if you have changed your email address and believe that the University does not have your current email, please contact Brock’s Privacy Office by emailing Privacy@Brocku.ca

Brock University is advocating on behalf of its students in this process and is working closely with Guard.me to understand why this happened, what data is impacted and what actions they are taking to increase their security.

If you use Guard.me’s services, here are some things you can do now to protect your privacy:

• Guard.me is offering credit monitoring services to individuals impacted by this incident for the next year. Contact Guard.me for more information.
• If you use your Guard.me password for other websites or services, it is recommended you change it immediately. It is never a good idea to use the same password for multiple systems, as a breach in one system can put others at risk.
• Remain vigilant, as always, to the possibility of fraud and identity theft by reviewing your financial statements and accounts regularly for any unauthorized activity. Notify local law enforcement of any suspicious activity.
• Visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to learn how to protect yourself from scams and fraud.
• Visit getcybersafe.ca to learn about cybersecurity and the simple steps you can take to protect yourself online.

Brock University is committed to protecting the privacy of students’ personal information.

The University recognizes that this incident may cause concern and inconvenience for individuals who have had their personal data exposed. Guard.me is offering ID theft protection and monitoring services to everyone impacted.

Please be assured that the University holds its third-party vendors to a high standard of privacy protections and will be working with Guard.me to improve and enhance protections moving forward.

Brock University has reported this privacy breach to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. If you have Brock-specific questions regarding this incident, contact Brock’s Freedom of Information and Privacy Co-ordinator at Privacy@Brocku.ca. Otherwise, please refer to the Guard.me customer notice or contact Guard.me directly at mediarelations@guard.me or at 1-888-348-1946 or 905-752-6207.