Increasingly sophisticated': Data breach affecting Williams Food Equipment puts customers on alert

A data breach tied to a third-party partner of Williams Food Equipment has prompted consumer advocates to urge customers to strengthen cyber hygiene, amid escalating sophistication in online attacks. The Windsor, Ontario supplier reported on Oct. 9 that the partner behind its online store suffered a security breach that exposed customers’ personal information between Sept. 13 and 17. Compromised data included names, telephone numbers, payment methods, and other transaction details, potentially making victims more vulnerable to scams and phishing. Williams told customers it had no evidence that credit card numbers, security codes, or passwords were accessed, and said it hired external cybersecurity specialists for remediation. While the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre had not received breach-related complaints, it encouraged reporting to help identify trends.