TalkTalk Cyber-Attack Hackers Demand Ransom; Four Million TalkTalk Customers' Data Stolen?
British telecommunications TalkTalk's chief executive Dido Harding said that hackers from the recent cyber- attack demand for ransom. The cyber-attack resulted to stealing four million customer's data from the company, reported on The New York Times.
The hackers were able to access TalkTalk customers' important personal data like, names, addresses, date of birth and even credit card details. Local authorities are investigating into this massive cyber-attack since the hackers are demanding for ransom.
"Yes, we have been contacted, by I don't know whether it's an individual or a group purporting to be the hacker," the chief executive said, reported on The New York Times.
She said that there's a with the system's security update to prevent cyber threats that may affect their customers and the company. "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." Harding stated on PC.
The cyber-attack happened on Wednesday and the company said it's too early to tell who have been affected by the hack, as reported on BBC. The company is "rushing to communicate with customers" but it would take 36 to 48 hours to inform all of them via email, she added on BBC.
A Russian Islamist group is claiming to be the hacker behind the attack but still unverified, as the cyber security consultant Adrian Culley said in BBC Radio 4's Today.
Consumers were best advised to keep track and monitor their credit-card statements and ratings. "Any sort of attack of this size and scale is concerning," Christian Cubitt, a spokesman for U.K. Prime Minister told the reporters, according to Bloomberg Business.
The cyber-attack strategy is known as ransomware, hackers keep the data as hostage until the ransom is paid. Despite of the company's effort, their public announcement was criticized for lacking evidence and details, reports on The New York Times.
