{"id":2215,"date":"2017-11-27T12:21:54","date_gmt":"2017-11-27T12:21:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dataleaklawyers.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2215"},"modified":"2024-07-05T12:39:37","modified_gmt":"2024-07-05T11:39:37","slug":"look-back-2015-talktalk-hack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dataleaklawyers.co.uk\/blog\/look-back-2015-talktalk-hack","title":{"rendered":"A look back at the 2015 TalkTalk hack"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i> UPDATE: PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO ACCEPT NEW CASES IN THIS MATTER.<\/b>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

We are now two years on from the TalkTalk hacking scandal, and we are helping a number of individuals claim compensation as victims of the breach<\/a>. In October 2015, TalkTalk was yet again subject to another data breach by hackers when around 157,000 customers had their personal information reportedly accessed. The hack exposed some customers’ names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers and email addresses. For around 10% of the victims, this also reportedly included bank details, raising fears that accounts could have been accessed.<\/p>\n

Hackers used software to illegally access information and then appeared to upload the company’s weaknesses on the internet. It is thought that none of the personal information accessed was encrypted.
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Consequences<\/h2>\n

Since the hacking – which was thought to be TalkTalk’s third data breach in a year – the telephone and broadband giant’s shares dropped significantly and\u00a0the company has lost around \u00a360 million pounds, and apparently some 95,000 customers left the service.<\/p>\n

The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) investigated how the data breach came about and TalkTalk’s role in preventing and reacting to it. Along with security experts, the ICO condemned TalkTalk’s apparent lack of security and slow response to the hack.<\/p>\n

Since there was inadequate security and no data encryption, hackers could easily find weaknesses to attack the system. The most infuriating thing for many was that this was their third breach<\/strong> in a year. TalkTalk should have taken the very first breach seriously enough and implemented better security measures<\/strong> to protect their customers\u2019 safety.<\/p>\n

The lack of encryption was a key talking point as the majority would consider this to be the very first and most basic security measure.<\/p>\n

“TalkTalk’s failure to implement the most basic cyber security measures allowed hackers to penetrate TalkTalk’s systems with ease”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Elizabeth Denham, ICO.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

ICO fine<\/h3>\n

The ICO fined TalkTalk \u00a3400,000 for their lack of security measures and inadequate response to the hacking. TalkTalk risked the personal information of their four million customers by failing to uphold their legal duty under the Data Protection Act to ensure the information they held was safe and secure. The ICO did not take it lightly that it was their third data breach either.<\/p>\n

Arrests made<\/h3>\n

Four people were arrested in 2015 for the hacking.<\/p>\n

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