The news emerged on Friday that TalkTalk – the national broadband supplier – has suffered a “significant and sustained” cyber-attack. If you are a TalkTalk customer, here are the key points you need to protect yourself.

The latest in a string of high-profile hackings of consumer companies, the lastst breach at TalkTalk sees a reported 4 million customer account details stolen.

*** Update Saturday 24th October ***

TalkTalk has released further information following their internal investigation into that attack which suggests the theft was less serious than they first feared. However having reviewed the update we believe the below information is still mostly valid. Although since TalkTalk have stated that no credit card information was stolen, cancelling cards is not likely to be necessary

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What does this actually mean?

It is suspected that the following data has been accessed by criminals and a copy of the data taken:

• Names
• Addresses
• Dates of Birth
• Email Addresses
• Telephone Numbers
• TalkTalk Account Information
• Credit Card Details and/or Bank Accounts

It is more difficult than you would imagine to track down exactly what has been taken since nothing is actually missing. And the thieves have become very adept at covering their tracks. So best to assume the worst.
How can I protect myself?

If you are a TalkTalk account holder you should:

• Regularly check the bank account or credit/debit card you use for your TalkTalk account for unusual activity.
  • It may be weeks or months before these details are used as these details are generally sold on to third parties for use.
  • You may want to cancel the credit or debit cards TalkTalk had on file for you
• If you notice any unusual activity double check with any other card holders and if fraudulent report it.
  • Report it to your bank in the first instance.
  • Also report it to the UK National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre (www.actionfraud.police.uk).
• For individual TalkTalk customers who may have been affected, it is also recommended that you check your credit rating regularly
• Call Credit, Experian and Equifax are the main credit agencies that require a subscription but Noddle offer a free service.

What should I do if I get called or emailed by TalkTalk regarding this issue?

• TalkTalk or any other service provider should never ask you for your bank details – don’t give them out!
• You will not be asked to download software onto your computer
• You should never be asked for your full password, only certain characters of it.

If you are in any doubt about the authenticity of the call, tell the caller you will hang up and call back on the normal TalkTalk customer services line as printed on your bill.

Are other sites and services I use safe?

They are as safe as they can be. However the cyber-crime industry is now a major global business and the arms race is heating up. This isn’t the first and certainly won’t be the last breach of customer data. We will continue to provide information on how to protect your family, hard earned money and business. If you have specific questions, or want to talk through what you should do, please get in touch.