Security breach at water pollution control plant in Pickering contained with ‘no risk’ to public

A digital systems security breach at the Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control plant in Pickering on October 1 was contained quickly with “no risk to public health, safety, or the environment,” declared the Region of Durham.

Regional staff identified the breach affecting a limited component of the digital systems at the pollution control plant and managed to isolate it and switch operations to auto or manual mode to ensure systems continued to operate uninterrupted.

“There has been no impact to any other component of the network at Duffin Creek or elsewhere in Durham’s network,” the statement from the Region said, adding that there is no private or sensitive information contained in the affected system.

“Duffin Creek is fully operational … (and) regional systems continue to be closely monitored.”

The motive behind the security breach – an attempt at sabotage or hacking or something more benign – is unknown at this time.