Toronto Crime Stoppers suspends accepting tips following massive data breach - CityNews Kitchener
Toronto Crime Stoppers has suspended accepting tips following a massive data breach of its third-party software that exposed nearly 177,000 submissions.
The anonymous non-profit partnership founded in 1984 to help prevent and solve crimes announced Wednesday that it's no longer accepting tips through its online website or call centre. The breach occurred in March when hackers accessed data from P3, the software used by Crime Stoppers.
Navigate360, which owns the software, reported that almost 177,000 Toronto tips submitted between January 2022 and November 2025 were stolen. Among these tips, approximately 15,000 names were included, though Crime Stoppers typically removes identifying details before tips go to investigators.
Delayed disclosure
Toronto Crime Stoppers was initially informed in March that the P3 platform was secure and that Toronto data had not been taken. However, it wasn't until June that they learned their data had been breached, though the extent of what was exposed remained unclear.
Response and next steps
In response to the breach, Toronto Crime Stoppers has removed the "Tip Submit" feature from its website and advised the National Anonymous Call Centre to stop processing new information. The organization is working with partners to develop a more secure system for collecting tips.
The Toronto Police Service has temporarily suspended using Crime Stoppers while assessing additional security measures. They're directing the public to use police reporting channels instead. Crime Stoppers emphasized they will not resume taking tips until they can guarantee the system's safety for those who trust them with information.
Related
