More than 2,000 participants in a programme to help the unemployed into work have been impacted by a third party cybersecurity breach in the Fermanagh and Omagh area.
In a statement on Tuesday, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said members of its Aspire programme had been affected by a ransomware attack conducted on Co Derry company Evide Impact.
The council has confirmed to Belfast Live that the total number of people who may be impacted by the breach is 2,469.
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Aspire is a local employability initiative which is delivered alongside the Western Trust, the Education Authority and Fermanagh Rural Community Initiative.
A spokesperson for Fermanagh and Omagh council said that it was liaising with the company and the PSNI to resolve the breach.
"Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has been made aware that a third-party company, Evide Impact Limited, who processes data on behalf of the Council has recently been impacted by a cyber-security incident," the spokesperson said.
"The company provides a database system to record the details of participants on the Council’s ASPIRE programme.
"The personal data of some participants may have been impacted."
The council added that none of its own internal systems had been targeted in the hack.
"The Council wishes to stress that none of the Council’s own systems have been affected.
"The Council is continuing to liaise with the third-party company, a Cyber-Security Insurance team and the PSNI in relation to the matter to ascertain the extent of the impact, and to mitigate against any further impact.
"The Council is informing all of those affected by the incident and is providing useful information on steps they may wish to take as a precaution. The Council has also informed the partner organisations."
The PSNI has confirmed that specialist detectives from its 'cyber crime investigation team' are looking into the attack.
The Derry-based company Evide, meanwhile, has said in a statement that it "immediately contacted the PSNI" once it became aware a "third party" had accessed its systems.
The local authority has advised anyone who may be affected to be alert to any suspicious email and text communications, and to regularly review their bank statements for any suspicious activity.
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