Some English National Ballet (ENB) customers' contact information may have been leaked in a cyber attack, it has been revealed. The ballet company is among a number of arts and cultural organisations affected by the breach on customer relationship management software provider Beacon CRM.
Investigation underway
Beacon CRM, which supplies customer management systems to arts and culture organisations, said it is carrying out a "thorough forensic investigation" with specialist experts after discovering that compromised credentials had been used to gain unauthorised access to its systems.
ENB said some customer email address and business contact information "may have been included in the affected data" from the cyber attack and that it was taking the matter seriously.
Apology and advice
The ballet company apologised for the “concerning” incident and said that while no customer passwords or payment details had been compromised, customers should be aware of any suspicious emails.
"Beacon have informed us that they acted promptly to secure their systems and have notified the relevant authorities," ENB said.
"While no passwords or payment details were exposed, we recommend remaining cautious of any unexpected emails and always verifying the sender before clicking on links."
Other organisations affected
Chiswick House and Gardens Trust, which also uses Beacon CRM, released a statement saying it is contacting those who may have been affected so they can “take sensible precautions”.
The organisations use Beacon to manage information about supporters, donors and fundraising contacts.
The statement added: “There is currently no evidence that your information has been published or misused, and we are not aware of any fraud or harm resulting from this incident.
“However, the information could potentially be used to make phishing emails, telephone calls or fraudulent requests appear more convincing. It could also lead to unwanted disclosure of your contact details, charitable giving or relationship with Chiswick House and Gardens Trust.”
