TalkTalk Hacking

caveman38

In light of the severity of this latest breach in data security. I and perhaps others would be interested to know how armed with this data, these scammers are able to hack info bank accounts and take monies.
How is this done and what measures can us ordinary guys take to prevent it happening. I know we're advised to ignore calls and emails from people pretending to be bona fide banks and building societies asking for confidential information. But in one example in todays MOS a couple apparently accessed their account and found too much money in it after a bogus rebate and after honestly paying the money back then found a larger amount had been taken.
How does this happen. Perhaps these are naïve questions and maybe we know some of the answers, but.
How do they do it and what can we do to stop it happening to us. Thanks.

masonic

I started a switch to TalkTalk last weekend, so not the best start! But they probably already had my information on their systems as I had an account with them a few years ago anyway.

The biggest risks will be where customers have reused passwords and security information. Other than that, It will tend to be social engineering-type attacks where you are fooled into providing more information or doing something you shouldn't. Banks might also be duped into resetting security information if the fraudster is sufficiently convincing, but hopefully their security is tighter than that.

The story you mention sounds like some variant of an overpayment fraud in which a fraudulent payment is made, the customer reimburses the sender and then the original payment is subsequently reversed. I guess this sort of thing should be sorted out through your bank rather than directly with the person who incorrectly paid the money into your account.

Bank account number and sort code details can at worst only be used to set up a direct debit, but this would be covered by the direct debit guarantee and requires the entity setting up the DD to be a member of the scheme.

ChiefGrasscutter

Well...
1 Stop believing everything you read in the papers and not just the Daily Mail. There will be vital parts of the story "missing".
2. As to how they did it, I suspect that the unfortunates were persuaded by the scammers on the phone to hand over all the necessary details of the debit card including the CVV code and hence the payment was as far as the bank was concerned fully authorised.

Nowhere I suspect will you find it stated that a bank account was hacked and the password/memorable info compromised plus the various security methods to set up a new payee (ie to the scammers) circumvented....though that is what one might think reading the rubbish that is printed.

Paul_1977

All TalkTalk should have (someone correct me if wrong),

Your account code, sort code, address, dob, name.

What could they do with this?

Jeremy Clarkson once published these details in a paper, someone set up a direct debit if I remember rightly, I'm sure I saw that somewhere.

colsten

I find all the stories about monies missing from bank accounts due to last week's hacking of Talk Talk totally improbable.

We all know that all banks have additional safeguards for setting up payees:

• FD, HSBC, RBS Group need a one-off code, generated on a secure key/card reader or an app. Needs your card and PIN unless the code can be generated by app on your mobile
• LBG sends a code to your mobile or landline, or you must use the app on your mobile
• Santander sends a code to your mobile
• Tesco sends a code to your mobile if a different PC is used

I have yet to see an explanation from any of the (very few) "victims" on how their mobiles or landlines, or their debit cards & PINs, fell into the hands of the Talk Talk hackers. It's also quite staggering how little the Press (Sky, Telegraph, Daily Mail etc) seem to know about setting up payments. It's pure sensationalism.

It's of course even more ridiculous to suggest it was done by DD, as - for starters - no DD would draw money within a couple of days from set up.

masonic

Paul_1977 wrote: »

All TalkTalk should have (someone correct me if wrong),

Your account code, sort code, address, dob, name.

What could they do with this?

Jeremy Clarkson once published these details in a paper, someone set up a direct debit if I remember rightly, I'm sure I saw that somewhere.

They will also have the email address you provided when signing up and TalkTalk password (which could be used at other sites).

If they are your ISP, they could have lots of other information, including details of your browsing activity, the websites you visit, potentially the content of emails if you are using a non-secure client or webmail system. If you are using them for calls, they will have details of the phone numbers you have called with time and date and duration.

It is still unclear exactly what information has been compromised I believe, but potentially, there could be quite a few leads in the above that might allow someone to get a foothold. The Mat Honan story from a few years ago shows how these things can be leveraged. There is more to be concerned about than just money being taken from your account (which is pretty unlikely if you have taken reasonable care not to use the same password for everything).

grumbler

There is a pretty long thread on another board: Talk Talk Cyber Attack.

Yesterday some 'expert' invited to BBC TV news (!) struggled to answer a simple question: "Is it worth cancelling TalkTalk DD as a result of this hacking?". After long Hmms he said that possibly it's better not to cancel because the contract remains in force and you have to keep paying.
Idiot!
Regardless of what the stolen details can be used for, the current TalkTald DD on a current account cannot pose any threat whatsoever.

This just shows the 'quality' of the information that mass-media keep feeding us with. It was BBC. What can one expect from tabloids?

RADDERS

As I pay my talktalk account early to get the 10% faster discount, they will also have my debit card details, cv number, expiry date etc 😡

masonic

RADDERS wrote: »

As I pay my talktalk account early to get the 10% faster discount, they will also have my debit card details, cv number, expiry date etc 😡

Yes, card details were amongst the things reported to have been compromised, although I believe organisations are not supposed to store the cv number.

SnowTiger

As I mentioned here, during the hysteria it was claimed the thieves swiped National Security numbers.

Dunno about anyone else, but I've never given my National Security number to my ISP. And it's usually referred to as a National Insurance number anyway.

This type of (attempted) fraud is most likely in my opinion:

A solicitor has told the BBC that being tricked into transferring £750,000 of client money to criminals has left her life in ruins.

Sole practitioner Karen Mackie has been suspended from working, declared bankrupt, and faces the prospect of losing her home.

She is the latest victim of "vishing" in which criminals pose as bank security teams.

SnowTiger

masonic wrote: »

Yes, card details were amongst the things reported to have been compromised, although I believe organisations are not supposed to store the cv number.

Card numbers were incomplete, apparently.