Survey company data breach expose major UK charities and their supporters
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In a significant cyber attack on a survey company named About Loyalty and their subcontractor Kokoro, personal data of a considerable number of donors to prominent British charities has been stolen.
The cyber attack occurred on August 9 and targeted the survey company About Loyalty, which conducts surveys for various charities, assisting them in understanding their supporters. The hackers gained access to personal information through a sub-contractor, Kokoro, responsible for handling data on behalf of About Loyalty.
This breach can have far-reaching consequences, potentially compromising the privacy and security of the individuals affected.
The affected charities include well-known names such as
- RSPCA,
- Dogs Trust,
- Battersea Dogs And Cats Home,
- Shelter,
- Friends Of The Earth
The extent of the breach is not yet fully known, but it is likely to have affected hundreds of thousands of individuals. Just RSPCA has over 500,000 donors, so the total number of affected individuals may reach a million.
The stolen data include:
- victims' surnames,
- parts of their home addresses,
- email addresses,
- the amounts they donated.
While financial data seems to be safe, the stolen information can be exploited by scammers to send out deceptive fundraising appeals, mimicking legitimate communication from the charities.
Many of the impacted charities have started notifying the affected donors about the breach via email. There are concerns regarding potential misuse of this data, especially as it might include details of high-profile and celebrity charity backers. Notable personalities like Sir Elton John, Alan Carr, and Sir Brian May, known for their association with these charities, could also be affected.
