A Nov. 1 cybersecurity incident involving CARA SG members prompted Dementia Singapore to investigate possible personal data exposure, according to an email the organization sent to members.
Dementia Singapore said initial checks pointed to names, email addresses, phone numbers and membership IDs as information that may have been involved. It said NRIC numbers were not affected. CNA reported that the organization did not disclose how many members may be involved.
The app service provider acted to limit the incident and protect its systems, Dementia Singapore said. The organization is investigating with the provider and reported the incident to Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC).
CARA SG members can continue using the app, but Dementia Singapore advised them to install the latest version. It urged caution around unexpected emails, calls or messages claiming to come from the organization or CARA, and told members not to click suspicious links, download unexpected attachments or share passwords and one-time passwords.
CARA is a lifestyle and community digital platform and an initiative by Dementia Singapore. It offers Safe Return and missing-person reporting and alerts for people with dementia and their caregivers. In the email, CEO Bryan Tan apologized for “any worry or inconvenience” and said the organization appreciated members’ trust. The investigation with the app provider is ongoing, Dementia Singapore said.
