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| TalkTalk cyber attack 'smaller than originally thought' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The cyber attack on TalkTalk was "smaller" than originally thought - but customers' bank account and sort code details may have been accessed - the company's chief executive says. | |
| Dido Harding said any credit card details stolen would have been partial. | |
| She added that the information hackers may have accessed would not be enough to withdraw money "on its own". | |
| Some customers have criticised the company's handling of the attack - saying they have received no contact. | |
| Others criticised its refusal to let them cancel contracts for free. | |
| And some said money had been withdrawn from accounts, though TalkTalk said the latest attack might not be to blame. | And some said money had been withdrawn from accounts, though TalkTalk said the latest attack might not be to blame. |
| 'Good news' | |
| In a statement on Saturday afternoon, TalkTalk said the attack was on its website, where full card details are not held - not on its core system. | |
| Any credit card details accessed were incomplete - with many numbers appearing as an x - and "not usable" for financial transactions, it added. | Any credit card details accessed were incomplete - with many numbers appearing as an x - and "not usable" for financial transactions, it added. |
| Email addresses may also have been stolen, Ms Harding said. | |
| But she told Sky News: "It is good news that it is a smaller attack than we had originally thought". | |
| The police are continuing to investigate, the company added. | |
| On Thursday, TalkTalk first revealed it had been subject to a cyber-attack in which personal and banking details may have been accessed by hackers. | On Thursday, TalkTalk first revealed it had been subject to a cyber-attack in which personal and banking details may have been accessed by hackers. |
| The phone and broadband provider said it did not know how much of the customer information was encrypted. | The phone and broadband provider said it did not know how much of the customer information was encrypted. |
| It said it would contact all its four million current customers and has said an unknown number of previous customers may also be at risk. | |
| A number of current have contacted the BBC to say they have had no correspondence, however. | |
| One customer, Frank Wile, from Newbiggin, Northumberland, said the only information he had received was from the media. | One customer, Frank Wile, from Newbiggin, Northumberland, said the only information he had received was from the media. |
| "No phone calls or emails at all from TalkTalk; in fact the silence is deafening," he added. | "No phone calls or emails at all from TalkTalk; in fact the silence is deafening," he added. |
| Richard Bickley, from Milton Keynes, attacked the company for refusing to allow people to leave their contracts early without charge. | Richard Bickley, from Milton Keynes, attacked the company for refusing to allow people to leave their contracts early without charge. |
| TalkTalk has said it will consider requests on a case-by-case basis later when more information is known. | TalkTalk has said it will consider requests on a case-by-case basis later when more information is known. |
| Ms Harding told the BBC on Friday: "Waiving standard terms and conditions is not something sensible I can do today." | |
| Some customers have also said money has gone missing from the their bank accounts. | Some customers have also said money has gone missing from the their bank accounts. |
| Sarah Laird said her parents had around £9,000 taken after receiving a call purporting to be from the company. They were first contacted on Sunday, she said. | Sarah Laird said her parents had around £9,000 taken after receiving a call purporting to be from the company. They were first contacted on Sunday, she said. |
| 'Very angry' | 'Very angry' |
| Hilary Foster told the BBC she had lost £600 from her account. | Hilary Foster told the BBC she had lost £600 from her account. |
| "I'm still very angry [about] the fact that my details are potentially out there somewhere on the internet and I'm going to have to keep checking my bank statements now for a long time," she said. | "I'm still very angry [about] the fact that my details are potentially out there somewhere on the internet and I'm going to have to keep checking my bank statements now for a long time," she said. |
| But TalkTalk said there was currently no evidence that customers' bank accounts had been affected as a result of this week's attack. | But TalkTalk said there was currently no evidence that customers' bank accounts had been affected as a result of this week's attack. |
| "We do know that there are a small number of customers who have previously been targeted by criminals and fallen victim to scams, and we are continuing to support those affected," the company said in a statement. | "We do know that there are a small number of customers who have previously been targeted by criminals and fallen victim to scams, and we are continuing to support those affected," the company said in a statement. |
| What should you do if you think you're at risk? | What should you do if you think you're at risk? |
| TalkTalk hack: What should I do? | TalkTalk hack: What should I do? |
| There have been two other data breaches affecting TalkTalk customers in recent months. | There have been two other data breaches affecting TalkTalk customers in recent months. |
| In August, the company revealed its mobile sales site had been targeted and personal data breached. | In August, the company revealed its mobile sales site had been targeted and personal data breached. |
| And in February, TalkTalk customers were warned about scammers who had managed to steal thousands of account numbers and names. The attacks are understood to be unrelated. | And in February, TalkTalk customers were warned about scammers who had managed to steal thousands of account numbers and names. The attacks are understood to be unrelated. |
| The Metropolitan Police says it is in the early stages of investigating the latest hack, as well as a ransom demand from a group purporting to be behind it. | The Metropolitan Police says it is in the early stages of investigating the latest hack, as well as a ransom demand from a group purporting to be behind it. |
| No arrests have been made. | No arrests have been made. |
| 'Appears genuine' | 'Appears genuine' |
| Cyber-crime consultant Adrian Culley told BBC Breakfast the hackers had obtained "high-value" data and it was "going to take time to fully investigate" the attack. | Cyber-crime consultant Adrian Culley told BBC Breakfast the hackers had obtained "high-value" data and it was "going to take time to fully investigate" the attack. |
| He said he had already seen online what "very much appears to be genuine" TalkTalk customer bank details. | He said he had already seen online what "very much appears to be genuine" TalkTalk customer bank details. |
| He said those who uploaded the data had redacted account numbers but published customers' bank sort codes. | He said those who uploaded the data had redacted account numbers but published customers' bank sort codes. |
| TalkTalk said there was a chance that some of the following customer data had been accessed: | TalkTalk said there was a chance that some of the following customer data had been accessed: |
| Names and addresses | Names and addresses |
| Meanwhile, business leaders called for urgent action to tackle cyber-crime. The Institute of Directors said only "serious breaches" made the headlines, but attacks on British businesses "happen constantly". |