The Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC), eHealth Saskatchewan (eHS), the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health have provided an update on the eHealth malware attack which happened at the beginning of 2020, advising residents that a privacy breach of personal health information may have occurred.

A months-long forensic investigation has been underway following the attack, resulting in eHealth advising that a breach of personal health information may have occurred, with the breach impacting information on systems administered by eHS for the SHA and Ministry of Health.

While there is no concrete evidence that personal information has been compromised, the investigation was unable to rule out that personal health information was accessed.

A release from the provincial government states: "eHS continues to monitor and scan the internet for any signs that Saskatchewan files have found their way into improper hands. The latest six-week scan was completed in November and to date, there continues to be no evidence to show this has happened."

Following the malware attack, the eHS, SHA, and Ministry of Health have all ramped up training for employees on the dangers of opening emails with suspicious attachments. eHealth is also making security upgrades to its IT network.

This ransomware attack can serve as a reminder to health system employees and every Saskatchewan resident to take these basic steps and protect their information:

  • Monitor all accounts and report suspicious activity immediately;
  • Update all security software and operating systems regularly since these updates will include security patches and updated virus definitions; and
  • Use complex passwords and different passwords for all accounts.
  • If you do suspect a breach of your personal health information, you can contact SHA’s Privacy Office at privacy@saskhealthauthority.ca.

Anyone with a concern about privacy and protection of their personal health information can contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner: Toll-free (in Saskatchewan) 1-877-748-2298, Email: webmaster@oipc.sk.ca