Cutting into the GiHAD's CORD
Andy Smith
Dear CORD user,
The GICHD and our partner CISR would like to inform you that we have been made aware of a data security incident that has affected the CORD database. As a result we are contacting all subscribers of the database.
We were informed on 01 September by our supplier that a ransomware attack on the CORD database had been attempted and measures were immediately implemented to stop the attack . While the attack did not succeed in its ransom demand, we are told that some personal data was compromised. This data includes names, dates of birth and email addresses of the users.
Following this announcement, we were informed that several changes were implemented to improve the security of the database and to prevent similar incident from happening again. The relevant authorities have been informed of this incident in line with the GDPR guidelines.
We would like to assure you of the following:
- Your CORD account is now secure. Password information was not compromised.
- No financial information was involved in this data breach since, as you are aware, CORD does not charge for access.
Currently, you are not required to take any action but we advise you to remain alert to any phishing attempts to your email address. If you notice suspicious activity, you can also report it to the relevant law enforcement in your country of residence.
Should you wish to remove your registration from the CORD website please inform us by means of the feedback form on the website and we will close your account and remove any data from our records.
We apologise for any inconvenience this incident may have caused.
The CORD Team
