Qualinet

Summary

Qualinet experienced a cyberattack that resulted in the theft of certain data during the early winter, prompting the activation of its emergency plan and the mobilization of specialists to assess the breach. The company restored its systems after initial analysis, confirmed that some information had been exfiltrated, and notified affected clients in compliance with Law 25 before transferring the investigation to the Quebec City police and informing the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec.

Motives

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TTPs

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Description

In early winter 2025, Qualinet experienced a cyberattack that resulted in the theft of data from its systems. The company activated its emergency plan immediately after detecting the incident. A team of specialists was mobilized to investigate the scope and impact of the attack. Following an initial analysis, Qualinet reported that it had been able to restore its systems quickly. Despite the rapid restoration, the investigation revealed that certain data had been exfiltrated during the breach. Roger Vigneault, director of operations, confirmed the data theft in a press release, noting that the incident occurred despite the company’s top‑notch security precautions. He expressed regret over the event and stated that Qualinet was sorry for the impact on its clients. The company emphasized its commitment to transparency regarding the breach.

Qualinet notified the Service de police de la Ville de Québec (SPVQ), which took charge of the investigation, and also informed the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec about the incident. Under Quebec’s Law 25, the organization is required to advise affected clients of the data theft, and Qualinet indicated that it would comply with this legal obligation. Éric Pichette, president of Qualinet, said that many businesses treat cyberattack disclosures as taboo and urged leaders to become more aware of the growing threat. He added that criminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence to automatically identify targets, find system vulnerabilities, and encrypt data. The president called for greater collective protection to reduce the attractiveness of Quebec as a target for cybercriminals. To provide broader context, a survey conducted by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority in August 2024 found that 44 percent of Canadian organizations reported having suffered a cyberattack in the previous twelve months. Qualinet declined a request for an interview regarding the incident.

Sources

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