Port Hope Police Chief Tim Farquharson clarified a press release involving a cybersecurity possible breach of Crime Stoppers.
CBC broke the story on October 21, 2026 stating there was 1.5 million Canadian Crime Stoppers tips leaked.
The Port Hope Police Service is closely monitoring the cybersecurity incident involving the third-party platform used by Crime Stoppers organizations and the potential risks to the privacy, confidentiality, and anonymity of individuals who have provided information through this service.
Given the ongoing assessment of this incident and our responsibility to protect those who come forward with information, the Port Hope Police Service will be temporarily suspending its use of Crime Stoppers at this time while we seek further clarity and assurances regarding the security of the platform and the information submitted through it.
We recognize that information provided by members of the public is an important part of keeping our community safe and supporting criminal investigations. We also recognize that individuals who provide tips do so with the expectation that their identities and personal safety will be protected. That trust is fundamental, and we take our responsibility to protect it very seriously.
This decision is a precautionary measure while the circumstances and potential impacts of the cybersecurity incident continue to be assessed. We will continue to seek information and assurances regarding the security of the platform and explore alternative ways for members of the public to share information safely and anonymously with police.
Public safety remains our priority. We encourage members of the public who have information about criminal activity to continue to come forward through appropriate channels. We are committed to identifying secure and confidential ways for people to share information while respecting their privacy and protecting their safety.
We understand that this situation may be concerning, particularly for individuals who have previously submitted information through Crime Stoppers. Anyone with questions about the incident, including its potential impact on previously submitted tips or personal information, should contact the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association for further information.
The Port Hope Police Service will continue to assess the situation and provide updates as more verified information becomes available.
Tim Farquharson Chief of Police Port Hope Police Service
Navigate360 Notice of Data Breach – Press Release
What Happened?
On or about March 18, 2026, Navigate360 became aware of suspicious activity on one of its systems. Navigate360 immediately instituted mitigation measures to minimize any disruption while also investigating the activity. Navigate360 launched an investigation into the nature and scope of the incident with the assistance of a leading cybersecurity firm, which determined that an unauthorized third party accessed one of our systems and obtained copies of some data between November 21, 2025 to March 5, 2026. Navigate360 has engaged a data mining firm to undertake a detailed review of this data to determine the incident’s impact and has determined that some of these files may have contained your information.
What Information was Involved?
The potentially impacted information may include name, address, date of birth, social security numbers, telephone numbers, email addresses, and other categories of sensitive information. We have no evidence of misuse of any personal information for fraud or identity theft. Please note the information impacted varies for each potentially impacted individual.
What We Are Doing.
Upon discovery of this incident, Navigate360 immediately instituted mitigation measures. Navigate360 promptly implemented additional and enhanced safeguards and enlisted the support of a leading cybersecurity firm to enhance the security of our network, systems, and data. Navigate360 also launched a comprehensive investigation, identified individuals who may have been affected, reported the incident to law enforcement, and notified regulatory bodies.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
