Privacy commissioner to investigate WestJet cybersecurity breach

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OTTAWA — Canada’s privacy commissioner has opened an investigation into a cyberattack on WestJet which saw a “malicious actor” gain access to the airline’s systems.

The airline said in a statement last month that a “sophisticated, criminal” third party was able to gain access to some personal and travel-related data during the June cybersecurity incident.

WestJet said the safety of its airline operations was never under threat.

A statement from the office of Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne says the investigation will look into the security safeguards that WestJet had in place at the time of the breach and the adequacy of its notifications to affected individuals.

It says the office is engaging with WestJet to ensure that it’s taking appropriate steps to respond to the incident.

The statement says the immediate focus is to ensure that the company is “effectively” addressing the breach and protecting its customers’ personal information.

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