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TalkTalk hack: boy arrested over alleged cyber-attack is bailed | TalkTalk hack: boy arrested over alleged cyber-attack is bailed |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A teenage boy who was arrested in Northern Ireland as part of the investigation into the alleged cyber-attack on TalkTalk has been released, police have said. | A teenage boy who was arrested in Northern Ireland as part of the investigation into the alleged cyber-attack on TalkTalk has been released, police have said. |
Scotland Yard said the 15-year-old was questioned on suspicion of offences under the Computer Misuse Act, but freed on bail on Tuesday morning pending further inquiries. | |
The North Antrim MP Ian Paisley urged the press to respect the privacy and requests of the family of the boy, after he was named in some media reports. | |
The Democratic Unionist MP said: “I have spoken with the mother of the teenager arrested and bailed in relation to the TalkTalk case. The family are trying to come to terms with this situation and although they appreciate the wide public and press interest in this matter, can I appeal for the press to cease contacting the family at their home. | |
“They cannot comment publicly and the teenager in question cannot make any public comments. I would appeal to the press to respect the family’s request for privacy and allow the process of law and order to run its course.” | |
The boy was arrested on Monday afternoon at a house in the Ballymena area of County Antrim by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and questioned by officers from the Metropolitan police’s cybercrime unit. | |
His arrest was the first major development since the phone and broadband provider said last week it had been hacked, prompting warnings from the company that the bank details and personal information of its 4 million customers may have been accessed. | His arrest was the first major development since the phone and broadband provider said last week it had been hacked, prompting warnings from the company that the bank details and personal information of its 4 million customers may have been accessed. |
Related: TalkTalk cyber-attack: company unsure how many customers affected | |
Jonathan Craig, a Democratic Unionist member of Northern Ireland’s Policing Board, said the arrest of the boy was part of the most significant investigation into alleged hacking in the region ever. | Jonathan Craig, a Democratic Unionist member of Northern Ireland’s Policing Board, said the arrest of the boy was part of the most significant investigation into alleged hacking in the region ever. |
Craig said if the boy was proven to have taken part in the alleged hack, it would raise serious questions about how a teenager in Co Antrim could have been able to infiltrate a major telecommunications company. | Craig said if the boy was proven to have taken part in the alleged hack, it would raise serious questions about how a teenager in Co Antrim could have been able to infiltrate a major telecommunications company. |
Meanwhile, TalkTalk, which has four million UK customers, has pledged to waive exit fees in some cases where people want to leave their contract - but only if money is stolen from them. | |
In order to leave without being hit by a termination fee, customers will need to show that money was stolen from their bank account as a direct result of the cyber attack and not because they have handed over their personal details themselves. | |
The phone and broadband provider has said that in the “unlikely” event that cash is taken from someone’s account as a direct result of the cyber attack, then it will waive termination fees as a “gesture of goodwill”. | |
Customers will need to write to TalkTalk with proof of the fraudulent bank transaction and termination fees will be waived on a “case by case” basis, TalkTalk said. | |
Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said TalkTalk’s pledge is the “bare minimum” and urged it to consider all the ways in which customers could lose out from having their data compromised. | |
He said: “TalkTalk must treat their customers fairly by letting those affected leave their contracts without penalty and consider offering appropriate compensation.” | |
TalkTalk said customers should monitor their accounts over the coming months and report anything unusual to Action Fraud. It has said that bank account numbers and sort codes, like those printed on a cheque, may have been accessed. | |
However, it also said: “Without more information, criminals can’t use these to take money from your bank account. Even then, the chances are very small indeed.” | |
TalkTalk’s share price jumped more than 9% in early trading on Tuesday, following a sharp fall of more than 12% on Monday. | |
The company said it was working with cyber crime experts, the security services and the police to complete a “thorough investigation”. | |