Cyber attack on payroll and HR company disrupts services in UK and Ireland

SD Worx, a Belgian payroll and HR company, suffered a cyber attack in April that affected its services in the UK and Ireland.

SD Worx serves over 5 million employees and 82,000 regular customers in 150 countries and handles vast amounts of sensitive customer data, such as personally identifiable information, government IDs, and tax and financial information, informs cpomagazine.com.

The company announced that it was not a ransomware attack, and they have no “evidence to assume that any data has been compromised.”

However, customers should remain cautious because the full impact of a cyber attack often becomes clear months after the incident.

What “stay vigilant about a breach” means concretely

It refers to keeping an eye on your data, digital footprint and any unusual online activities and taking simple steps to better secure your online accounts.

Not all breaches have terrible consequences, but some can lead to identity theft. A Sontiq report shows this is the case for 1 in 3 breach victims.

The easiest way to monitor your personal information is to use a service specifically created for this purpose, like Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection. It alerts you immediately if you are involved in a breach and suggests actions you should take to minimize risks.

Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection continuously scans millions of websites and the Dark Web, searching for your past leaked data. You can see your digital footprint at a glance, check your breach history, map risk, and any personal information that may have ended up on the internet: passwords, physical addresses and credit card details.

On top of the advice received from Digital Identity Protection, you can:

#1 Change all your passwords after hearing or reading about a cyberattack against a company that may store your data. If you don’t use a Password Manager, consider getting one. Thus, you can be sure your online accounts are secured with the strongest passwords possible, without you having to memorize or write them down. Also, set up two-factor authentication on your accounts.

#2 Be wary of any strange emails or calls you receive from that company’s employees. They may be phishing attempts or hackers trying to get even more data from you.

#3 Keep an eye on any suspicious activities in your bank accounts, such as unknown transactions, and notify your bank or credit card provider.