Personal information about as many as 20,000 members of the public has been stolen in a data breach at Christchurch City Council’s He Puna Taimoana hot pools.
The material hacked includes copies of drivers’ licences, passports, rates invoices, tenancy agreements, utility bills, and other council membership cards – all items provided by pool users as proof of residency.
The data breach was discovered on August 24. Pool users were contacted on Wednesday – two weeks later – in an email from Nigel Cox, the council’s head of recreation and sport.
Customers have not yet been advised what action, if any, they can take in case their sensitive information is part of the breach. The email directs them to the He Puna Taimoana website for more information. They can also call or email the council.
Christchurch residents get cheaper tickets to the pools, which opened in 2020, but are required to provide proof of address to get the discount.
