MONTREAL—No sensitive information was contained in an apparent security breach, the Montreal police confirmed on Wednesday. A day earlier, photos along with the names and phone numbers of officers were published online.
The Montreal police suffered two serious security breaches in the past year. In this latest alleged leak, a 389 page list of names was first released nearly a month ago from an online storage service. The release was accompanied by a note warning the police that more information could be released.
“For the moment we have no reason to believe that someone got through [to our system,]” said Montreal police spokesman Ian Lafreniere. “That’s a fact. The list that is there isn’t a secret, that kind of list is public.
“However, they used that list to try to intimidate police officers and say, ‘We’re watching you, we will put pressure on you.’ No sensitive information was contained.”
Included in the alleged leak were personal photos of police officers, taken either from Facebook pages or during last year’s student protests. The release also contains photos that purport to identify undercover officers.
While the material is public, the police are investigating as they believe the alleged leak is a “clear act of intimidation,” a violation of the Criminal Code.
