'What do they have their hands on?' Customer reacts to Eastlink breach

'What do they have their hands on?' Customer reacts to Eastlink breach

Company does not believe credit card or banking information was exposed

Telecommunications provider Eastlink is warning customers of a potential data breach, though it does not believe credit card or banking information was exposed.

The company, which operates in seven provinces and Bermuda, sent an email to affected customers Friday just before 5 p.m. AT.

Eastlink said accounts may have been compromised between late Wednesday and early Thursday morning. Exposed information may include customer names, contact details, account numbers and PINs.

It's unclear how many people are affected.

Caitlyn Horne of Halifax, who ended her internet service with Eastlink in 2023, said she received the breach notification.

"If they're even reaching back to people that have had historical accounts, that's a lot of information that someone may potentially have had access to," Horne said.

Horne said she hopes the company is more transparent about the situation and offers credit monitoring for affected customers.

She said when she got the email, her initial thought was, "Oh no, not again," given how frequently data breaches occur.

"It's mostly like, 'Oh God, what do they have their hands on? Like, what don't I know right now?'" Horne said.

In its email, Eastlink apologized and stated that after learning of the incident Wednesday, it shut down affected platforms on its website and mobile app.

Company spokesperson Jill Laing said in an email to CBC News on Saturday that Eastlink is gathering details and that no one could speak about the matter until Monday.

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Richard Woodbury is a journalist with CBC Nova Scotia. He can be reached at richard.woodbury@cbc.ca.