Virgin Media data breach hits 900,000 customers
Virgin Media last night admitted that a data breach had seen the personal details of around 900,000 people left unsecured and accessible online for 10 months.
The company said that it had not been hacked, but that the breach had been caused because the database was incorrectly configured.
It stressed that the database did not include any passwords or financial details, but was made up of names, home and email addresses, and phone numbers.
Lutz Schüler, the firm’s chief executive, said that Virgin Media had shut down the database as soon as it had become aware of the problem, but that it believed the data had been accessed on at least one occasion.
However, he added that the extent to which the data had been used was not known.
The firm said that it was contacting those who had been affected by the breach to inform them of the situation. It added: “Protecting our customers’ data is a top priority and we sincerely apologise”.
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“We have kept the Information Commissioner’s Office fully updated since we became aware of this incident.”
Adam French, consumer rights expert at Which?, said: “This data breach has exposed the data of almost a million Virgin Media customers and whilst no financial details or passwords were included, those customers are likely to be worried. It is vital that Virgin Media continues to provide clear information on what has happened.
“For anyone concerned they could be affected – it’s good practice to update your password after a data breach. Also, be wary of emails regarding the breach, as scammers may try and take advantage of it.”=
Full advice for those affected is available on Virgin Media’s website.
The firm announced the breach on the same day on which widespread outages affected 60 towns and cities in the south east of the UK.