HCLTech disputes hacker group's data access claims, cites no system breach

HCL Technologies pushed back Monday on media reports alleging that a hacker group had claimed access to data belonging to company employees, stating an initial investigation found the information "may be limited and dated to a few years back."

The IT consulting and services provider, ranked by SIA as the world’s 18th-largest in its sector, filed a formal clarification with the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange on August 10. In the filing, HCLTech said there was no evidence of a breach to its systems or engagement with any of its clients. The company added it was continuing to investigate and would report any material findings.

"This is with reference to some media alerts regarding claims made by a hacker group of potential exposure of limited data elements relating to HCLTech employees," the company said in its statement. "In this regard this is to clarify that the Company’s initial investigation has revealed that the aforesaid data may be limited and dated to a few years back. There is no evidence of breach to the Company’s systems or engagement with any of the Company’s clients. The Company, however, is undertaking further investigation, and any material findings in this regard will be reported. The Company considers cyber security as its top priority and remains committed to protecting the information entrusted to it."

The clarification followed a similar disclosure a day earlier from larger rival Tata Consultancy Services, which said it had received intelligence alerts about possible exposure of employee data after claims circulated on social media that records including names, job titles and phone numbers were being offered on a hacking forum. TCS said the information referenced in those alerts appeared to be more than four years old and limited to basic employee details, without disclosing who issued the alerts or when. TCS also said it had maintained safeguards for more than two years against the type of attack described and that its own operational systems had not been affected.

As of August 11, HCLTech shares were trading around ₹1,356.60, a level that held steady following the company’s clarification.