In August 2021, Accenture experienced a cybersecurity incident involving ransomware. The attackers claimed to have accessed a significant amount of data and demanded a ransom, which Accenture did not pay. The attackers then published some files allegedly taken during the incident. Accenture confirmed that some information was compromised but did not specify the details.

How many accounts were compromised?

The breach impacted data related to approximately 33,000 individuals.

What data was leaked?

The data exposed in the breach included proprietary information, as well as emails, names, and broadcast dates of current and former employees.

How was Accenture hacked?

The LockBit ransomware operators breached Accenture's systems, stealing over 6 terabytes of data and demanding a $50 million ransom. Accenture quickly contained the incident, restoring affected systems from backups. The specific methods used by the hackers and the exact nature of the stolen data remain unclear.

Accenture's solution

In response to the hacking incident, Accenture took steps to contain the situation and restore affected systems from backups. While specific enhanced security measures were not detailed, the company conducted a thorough forensic review of documents on the attacked systems and denied the LockBit gang's claims that customer credentials were stolen. Accenture also informed clients about relevant details of the incident, although they have not yet publicly acknowledged the data breach outside of SEC filings or filed data breach notification letters with relevant authorities.

How do I know if I was affected?

Accenture has not publicly confirmed whether they reached out to affected users. However, if you are concerned about your data being compromised in this or other breaches, you can visit Have I Been Pwned to check your credentials.

What should affected users do?

In general, affected users should:

• Change Your Passwords: Immediately update your passwords for any accounts that may have been compromised. Make sure the new passwords are strong and unique, not previously used on any other platform.

• Reset Passwords for Other Accounts: If you've used the same or similar passwords for other online accounts, reset those as well. This is crucial as attackers often try using stolen passwords on multiple sites.

• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on any affected accounts. Consider enabling this additional security feature on all other important online accounts to significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

For more specific help and instructions related to Accenture's data breach, please contact Accenture's support directly.

Where can I go to learn more?

If you want to find more information on the Accenture data breach, check out the following news articles:

• Accenture Confirms Data Stolen in Ransomware Attack - SecurityWeek

• Security firm Accenture breached, claim cybercriminals | Cybernews

• Accenture confirms data breach after August ransomware attack