Information Regarding the Parasol Group (Optionis) Data Breach 1000’s of contractors and employees face potentially damaging leak of their personal and financial information. Think you could be one of them? Keller Lenker are handling the compensation claim of any UK contractor or employee against the Parasol Group. Get in touch today to find out more.
What Is the Parasol Data Breach? What Exactly Happened?
The Parasol Group, a UK umbrella company used by thousands of contractors across the UK, was forced to shut down its network in January 2022 after discovering malicious activity. In the short term, this meant a delay of payments to many of the contractors on its books for a few days, but it was the longer-term implications of the outage that were perhaps more significant. Parasol confirmed they had been victims of a cyberattack and admitted that the attackers had accessed contractors’ personal data. It is now also clear that much of this personal data has already been leaked online.
Do You Think Your Details May Have Been Leaked in the Parasol Data Breach?
If you have ever worked contracts via Parasol or its parent company Optionis–or indeed one of the many other umbrella and accounting companies owned by Optionis which have also been affected, or if you have been a customer of Parasol–then your details may also have been leaked. Parasol is legally obliged to tell you if your details have been stolen, leaked or compromised. At the time of writing, however, Parasol still can not identify precisely whose data has been compromised.
Which Companies Have Been Affected by the Optionis Data Breach?
Because the cyberattack was aimed at Optionis, the parent company, it is possible that besides Parasol, the following companies were also affected:
- SJD Accountancy
- Nixon Williams
- Optionis Accountancy
- Clearsky Business
- First Freelance
- Clearsky Contractor Accounting
It is believed that tens of thousands of contractors who have worked for these companies at any point may well be affected and had their personal or financial information leaked online.
What Kind of Data Will Have Been Leaked?
The investigators at Keller Lenkner believe the leak included the following details:
- Company Accounts
- Bank Details
- Home Addresses
- Work Addresses
- ID, including Passport or Driving Licence Details
- NI Numbers
- Employment Contracts
- Salary Info & Payslips
How Can I Protect My Data?
For many people, the first and most important thing to do will be to make sure their personal and financial data is safe. Unfortunately, once it has been accessed, it is likely that it will appear on the dark web eventually or that the records will be sold on to other criminals. Therefore, it is essential to protect yourself right away.
How Can I Make a Claim?
Anyone who has potentially been affected by this data breach is eligible to make a claim. Keller Lenker is launching a group action on behalf of all the affected contractors and employees.