(Photo: CHAT News Today)

By Justin Goulet/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Investigation underway into possible privacy breach on Alberta’s vaccine records website

Nov 26, 2021 | 5:20 PM

EDMONTON – The Government of Alberta has reported a possible privacy breach on its COVID-19 vaccine records website.

A technical issue on the site residents can use to access their updated proof of vaccination QR code for travel resulted in a possible breach on the morning of Wednesday, November 24.

READ MORE: Alberta’s QR code vaccine record updated for domestic and international travel

Alberta Health’s support desk received 12 reports from Albertans that they had gotten the wrong vaccine record when they entered their information on alberta.ca/CovidRecords. The information that appeared on the record is the name, date of birth and the individual’s COVID-19 vaccination status. The QR code record is not connected to any other health or personal information.

The website was immediately shut down after reports were received. The province says an investigation is underway to find the cause of the technical glitch and the number of Albertans who were impacted. The government did not, though, that it does not appear to have been caused by a security breach to the system.

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The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner has been notified about the ongoing investigation. Albertans can continue to access the previous version of the vaccine record with the QR code at alberta.ca/CovidRecords.

The province’s Minister of Health Jason Copping apologized for the potential breach, saying “Alberta Health took immediate action by taking the website and the updated record down.”

“I want to assure Albertans they will be kept informed once the investigation is complete and the updated record for travel will be available as soon as the technical issue is addressed.”

Albertans can use their records with a QR code at businesses taking part in the Restrictions Exemption Program and while traveling. Other provinces’ apps can now scan the original Alberta QR code vaccine record.