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TalkTalk customer data at risk after hackers target company website TalkTalk customer data at risk after hackers target company website
(35 minutes later)
Police are investigating a “significant and sustained” attack on the website of TalkTalk. Police are investigating a “significant and sustained” cyber-attack on the website of TalkTalk. The attack, which took place on Wednesday, could have compromised customers’ credit card and other personal details. The telecoms provider has 4 million customers in the UK. It is the second time in the past 12 months that TalkTalk customers have been affected by data breaches.
The cyber-attack, which took place on Wednesday, could have compromised customers’ credit card and other personal details. The telecoms provider has 4 million customers in the UK.
It is the third time in the past 12 months that TalkTalk customers have been affected by data breaches.
“We are continuing to work with leading cybercrime specialists and the Metropolitan police to establish exactly what happened and the extent of any information accessed,” the company said on Thursday night.“We are continuing to work with leading cybercrime specialists and the Metropolitan police to establish exactly what happened and the extent of any information accessed,” the company said on Thursday night.
Its chief executive, Dido Harding, said: “We take any threat to the security of our customers’ data extremely seriously and we are taking all the necessary steps to understand what has happened here.” Its chief executive, Dido Harding, said: “We take any threat to the security of our customers’ data extremely seriously, and we are taking all the necessary steps to understand what has happened here.” TalkTalk was informing its customers immediately about the attack as a precaution, she added.
TalkTalk was informing its customers immediately about the attack as a precaution, she added. In December 2014 the company said it was investigating whether its customer database had been leaked after more than 100 customers said they had received calls from Indian-based scammers quoting their names, addresses and account details.
Dozens of customers have since been tricked out of thousands of pounds by fraudsters who called them pretending to be TalkTalk staff. After receiving such a fraudulent call, Graeme Smith, from Chester-le-Street in County Durham, lost £2,815 from his Santander account.
TalkTalk has refused to accept any liability in his case, and Smith’s bank has also declined to refund the sum. Santander said that he gave personal details to the fraudsters, “thus validating and authorising the transfer of funds”.
The broadband and phone provider said in February that a third-party contractor that had legitimate access to its customer accounts was involved in the data breach. It took legal action against the supplier, thought to be based in India. TalkTalk contacted customers to warn them about the criminal activity and the Information Commissioner’s Office was also informed. It was still investigating the breach.
In August, Carphone Warehouse admitted that the details of up to 2.4 million customers may have been accessed in a “sophisticated cyber-attack”. The incident also affected TalkTalk mobile customers who had bought phones or contracts through the high-street chain. The Information Commissioner’s Office was also notified about the Carphone attack, along with Scotland Yard.