Following a recent hack on US company, SolarWinds, the UK’s data privacy regulator has issued a statement to British organisations urging them to check whether they were affected by the attack, reports the BBC.
According to sources, only a handful of UK organisations are confirmed to have been impacted by the hack – none of these organisations are in the public sector.
The watchdog statement reminded organisations who hold UK citizen data that they have 72 hours to report a breach if one is discovered. SolarWinds also published guidance for affected clients on their company’s website.
The Texas-based company – who provide computer network management tools across the globe – have claimed that “fewer than 18,000” of the company’s clients installed what were compromised updates.
The issuing of the watchdog statement – paired with the investigations of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – have reinforced the severe repercussions the hack could have on British organisations if they are not thoroughly protected.
Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at the NCSC, commented on the severity of the hack, remarking that it “is a complex, global cyber-incident.”