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โ€œInternet vulnerabilityโ€ behind weekendโ€™s CRA website shutdown

Canadians looking to get a head start on filing their taxes by going online experienced a setback this weekend.

After โ€œbecoming aware of an Internet vulnerability that affects some computer servers used by websites worldwide,โ€ the agency shut down its online services, including electronic filing, on Friday afternoon, though service had been restored by Sunday evening.

โ€œEnsuring that your personal information is not compromised is a priority for us,โ€ the CRA wrote in a statement on its website, which has since been taken down but preserved on the CBC website. โ€œAt this time, we are not aware that any personal information has been affected; however, we โ€ฆ are taking steps to ensure that all information and systems remain safe.โ€

Affected services included My Account, My Business Account, Represent a Client, the MyCRA mobile application, the MyBenefits mobile application, Netfile, EFILE and Auto-Fill My Return.

According to a later statement posted on the agencyโ€™s website, all digital services had been restored by 5 PM on Sunday, with individuals, businesses, and accountants once again able to file returns and make payments, among other services, through the website.

โ€œWe took this action as a precaution, not as the result of a successful hack or breach,โ€ the CRAโ€™s follow-up statement, still accessible at press time, read. โ€œTax returns filed have continued to be processed normally throughout the digital service interruption. Canadians should not expect a delay in getting their refund. If you question whether or not the CRA has received your return, you and the CRA have certainty on the filing of returns through a confirmation code that is issued only upon successful transmission. If you did receive a code, your return was successfully filed.โ€

At press time, no details about the security risk had been released aside from the CRAโ€™s statement, which sought to assure Canadians that the agency worked โ€œaround the clockโ€ with other government departments to implement a solution that would address the vulnerability.

โ€œWe are now confident that the solution has been rigorously and successfully tested and services returned online,โ€ the agency said. โ€œWe appreciate that this interruption may have been inconvenient and we thank everyone for their patience.โ€

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