Talk Talk Says Cyberattack Data Theft Not as Bad as Feared

British telecoms company Talk Talk says a cyberattack feared to have put 4 million customers’ details at risk is not as bad as initially thought.
Talk Talk Says Cyberattack Data Theft Not as Bad as Feared
Signage on the exterior of TalkTalk telecommunications company headquarters in London, England, on Oct. 23, 2015. (Carl Court/Getty Images)
The Associated Press
10/25/2015
Updated:
10/29/2015
Dido Harding, chief executive of telecommunications company TalkTalk, on Oct. 3, 2014. Phone and Internet service provider Talk Talk said Friday that private data from its 4 million British customers may have been compromised in a "significant and sustained" cyberattack on its website, and Chief Executive Harding said "there is a risk that all of our customers' personal data has been accessed," including credit card and bank details. (Anthony Devlin/AP)
Dido Harding, chief executive of telecommunications company TalkTalk, on Oct. 3, 2014. Phone and Internet service provider Talk Talk said Friday that private data from its 4 million British customers may have been compromised in a "significant and sustained" cyberattack on its website, and Chief Executive Harding said "there is a risk that all of our customers' personal data has been accessed," including credit card and bank details. (Anthony Devlin/AP)

LONDON—British telecoms company Talk Talk says a cyberattack feared to have put 4 million customers’ details at risk is not as bad as initially thought.

Chief executive Dido Harding said Saturday that attackers hacked the company’s website but not its core systems, and “none of our customers’ credit card information has been exposed.”

She said some bank account details had been accessed, but not enough for thieves to steal money from customers’ accounts.

Talk Talk has acknowledged that it realized it was under attack on Wednesday and has been criticized for not telling customers for more than a day.

On Friday the firm said it had received a ransom note from the alleged hackers.

It is the third known cyberattack this year on Talk Talk, which provides mobile phone, Internet and pay-TV services.