BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is investigating a suspicious email that was sent from an official SLRD email account to multiple recipients last week on Jan. 23, 2025.
The regional district says it took action to secure the compromised account and prevent further unauthorized messages from being sent.
The email appeared to reference a purchase order and invoice.
The email also had a link to a file that was asked not to be engaged with by the SLRD.
In a statement to The Squamish Chief, the SLRD said that there is currently no indication of an information breach.
“Those affected were notified and advised not to open or click on any links or attachments in the message,” the district stated in the email.
The incident came to light on Jan. 21, 2025, when an email purportedly from SLRD Director Tony Rainbow was distributed.
The Squamish Chief inquired about the number of recipients affected and the SLRD responded that the email went to “just over 400 people received the spam email.”
The regional district later confirmed that the email was unauthorized and potentially contained harmful content.
“We want to inform you that a suspicious email was sent from SLRD Director Tony Rainbow’s email account. Please do not open or click on any links or attachments in the message, as it may contain harmful content,” the SLRD stated in the email.
Steps taken by SLRD
Following the discovery of the unauthorized email, the SLRD:
- Took “immediate action to secure the affected account.”
- “Prevented” any further suspicious emails from being sent.
- “Notified recipients” and “provided guidance” on how to handle the email safely.
- Launched an “internal investigation to determine the source and scope of the incident.”
Individuals who believe they may have interacted with the suspicious email are advised to contact their organization’s IT support team or refer to resources provided by the Government of Canada on cybersecurity best practices.
- What to do if you are a victim of a phishing scam – Get Cyber Safe
- Don’t take the bait: Recognize and avoid phishing attacks – ITSAP.00.101 – Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
Ongoing investigation
“The SLRD continues to investigate the matter. There is no indication of an information breach,” said the SLRD in the email to The Squamish Chief.
For further updates, visit SLRD.bc.ca.
Bhagyashree Chatterjee is The Squamish Chief’s Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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