Rental company warning of cyber security breach

Undated photo of a keyboard (Pexels)

A major Canadian rental company, which manages several Winnipeg properties, is warning tenants of a cyber security breach from earlier this year.

In a letter issued last week, Mainstreet Equity Corp. said that on May 21, an “unauthorized third party gained access to a portion of our IT infrastructure, temporarily affecting some of our systems and rendering them inaccessible.”

An investigation into the incident has determined that tenants’ and guarantors’ personal information may have been compromised.

It notes that those who paid rent or a security deposit as a roommate or guarantor of a primary resident between April 2023 and June 2024 could be impacted. The breach also applies to those who paid rent or a security deposit as a primary renter during this same time frame.

The information that may have been compromised includes names and banking information. Mainstreet Equity notes that there is no evidence to suggest any personal information was or is being used by the unauthorized user for fraud or identity theft.

The company noted it has undertaken countermeasures, including retaining cyber security experts and working with legal counsel. It adds it has worked to ensure the security of its systems and implemented enhanced security measures.

In an email to CTV News Winnipeg, Mainstreet Equity said it has notified those who may have been impacted. The company is also offering 12 months of credit monitoring services.