The College of New Caledonia is warning students and employees of a cybersecurity incident that may have exposed limited personal information.
In a notice sent to affected individuals, CNC said it became aware on March 5, 2025, that an unauthorized person had gained access to its online systems. The college says it immediately brought in cybersecurity experts and legal counsel to secure its networks and investigate the breach.
While there is no evidence that any personal information has been misused, the college says the attacker may have accessed data such as names, phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, employee or student ID numbers, and CNC Connect passwords, either in clear text or hashed form.
The breach may have occurred on or before Oct. 31, 2024, but was not disclosed until July 7, when CNC formally notified both the RCMP and the BC privacy commissioner.
Officials say the information exposed would not be enough to gain access to user accounts on its own. However, they are urging caution and advising affected individuals to monitor their accounts for suspicious activity and be alert to potential identity fraud or social engineering attempts.
The college says it responded by taking its systems offline, resetting all user accounts, changing credentials, and boosting its cybersecurity defences. This included enhanced firewall controls, better endpoint monitoring, and increased auditing measures.
In a letter to people who may have been affected, CNC president and CEO Cindy Heitman wrote that the institution remains committed to improving information security and regrets any inconvenience caused by the breach.
Those with concerns are encouraged to call a dedicated support line at 1-833-294-7146, available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST.
