Quick Guide
Clarion Cyber Attack – Staying Safe
Introduction
On June 17th 2022, Clarion Housing suffered a cyber attack that disabled the majority of
online systems and possibly included a breach of personal details belonging to tenants
and residents. This guide offers suggestions to help you guard against scams, phishing,
and hacks.
Below we have set out suggestions from our advisors which will help you keep safe
from cyber threats following a possible major data breach by Clarion. It also contains
information on who to contact for emergency repairs.
This is what Clarion should have been advising
Please pass this advice on to any neighbours, family or friends living in a Clarion
property:
Check bank statements regularly (at least weekly) and immediately report any
suspicious payments to your bank.
Some members have reported that credit cards have been set up using their
personal details, then fraudulently used to make purchases. If this or similar
crimes happen to you, make a report to Action Fraud and the National Cyber
Security Centre.
If you use the same email address and password across lots of different accounts
(Clarion account login, personal emails, PayPal, etc.), change your passwords.
Free software is now available to help you keep track of login details across
different platforms without having to memorise the equivalent of a phone
directory! See advice from
https://www.techradar.com/uk/best/password-manager.
Use the attached template text to write a letter or email to Clarion asking if your
data has been breached. Even if you believe they won't reply, it is really
important to write to them so you have it on record. Keep a copy of the letter or
email where you can find it.
www.housingworkers.org.uk / www.facebook.com/groups/181528368580712/ / @HAWRNet / @ActionShac
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Clarion Cyber Attack – Staying Safe
And
If Clarion hasn't replied within two weeks, make a report to the Information
Commissioner's Office attaching a copy of your letter or email.
Phishing and scams - phishing is a specific form of scam activity. It can pop up as
an email, text alert, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter or other social media message.
It tries to get recipients to part with information such as bank account, date of
birth, account passwords, and home address. The information is then used to
make unlawful payments or apply for credit cards in the recipient’s name – a
type of identity theft.
People can be caught out by phishing because some communications are highly
sophisticated, closely mimicking those of landlords, banks, or government
departments. Tenants and residents are therefore urged to be extra vigilant. For
more details, please see the Government reporting website here.
Template text to Clarion
[Your Name]
[Email address]
[Date]
FAO: The Data Controller
Clarion Housing Association
Level 6, More London Riverside
Tooley St
London
www.housingworkers.org.uk / www.facebook.com/groups/181528368580712/ / @HAWRNet / @ActionShac
[email protected] Quick Guide
Clarion Cyber Attack – Staying Safe
SE1 2DA
Dear Sir/Madam
I am writing to you with regards to the “system outage” that you have been
experiencing since Friday June 17th.
You have put up various notices saying that this has been caused by a “cyber security
incident”. I would like to know the following:
Has any of my data been compromised? If so, what?
Was this attack and an inbound or outbound attack?
Was it malware, defaced website, or altered/stolen data?
How did the hackers gain access into your system?
How much access have they gained?
Did your web host or datacentre limit your network connections or bandwidth?
Why have you been unable to restore systems from a constantly-updated and
mirrored backup?
Who is your main cyber security partner?
Has staff data been compromised? If so, what?
I have heard reports of a massive increase in scam and phishing activity amongst
Clarion neighbours following the cyber attack, therefore I believe it a matter of urgency
to know …
Is the security of people who have been moved due to domestic violence or other
crimes at risk? If so, what measures have you taken to deal with this?
I understand that before reporting my concern to the Information Commissioner’s Office
(ICO) I should give you the chance to deal with it.
www.housingworkers.org.uk / www.facebook.com/groups/181528368580712/ / @HAWRNet / @ActionShac
[email protected] Quick Guide
Clarion Cyber Attack – Staying Safe
If, when I receive your response, I would still like to report my concern to the ICO, I will
give them a copy of it to consider.
You can find guidance on your obligations under information rights legislation on the
ICO’s website (www.ico.org.uk) as well as information on their regulatory powers and
the action they can take.
Please send me a full response within 7 days. If you cannot respond within that
timescale, please tell me when you will be able to respond.
If there is anything you would like to discuss, please contact me on the email address at
the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely,
[Signature]
[Name]
www.housingworkers.org.uk / www.facebook.com/groups/181528368580712/ / @HAWRNet / @ActionShac
[email protected]
