OTTAWA–The federal government reported more than 200 significant privacy breaches affecting the personal information of thousands of Canadians and Canadian businesses, a number that Ottawa’s privacy watchdog suggests is the “tip of the iceberg.” The Star obtained documents under access to information law detailing every privacy breach reported by federal departments and agencies in 2017. In 2014 Treasury Board, the department that handles most internal government rules and regulations, required all federal departments and agencies to report any “material privacy breaches” to the privacy commissioner. In 2017, only 27 federal departments and agencies reported a material breach to Therrien’s office. Of all the departments reporting privacy breaches, CRA has likely received the most attention. Cohen said the privacy watchdog’s office is still pushing the government to require all privacy breaches to be reported by law, rather than simply Treasury Board rules.

Source: thestar December 23, 2018 05:12 UTC