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Weak Passwords Lead to Data Breach of 3,300 Individuals in Wales

Weak Passwords Lead to Data Breach of 3,300 Individuals in Wales

First seen 20 Oct 2026, 15:52 UTC • •
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ThreatCluster AI
ThreatCluster •October 20, 2026 at 16:14 UTC
  • •A ransomware attack on November 1, 2024, compromised data of 3,300 individuals.
  • •The breach exploited a 12-year-old test account secured with the weak password 'Password1'.
  • •Both organizations have since improved security protocols, including multi-factor authentication.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has reprimanded Ogi Networks Limited (ONL) and Data Cymru after a ransomware attack on November 1, 2024, which compromised the personal information of 3,300 individuals, primarily children. The breach exploited a test account named 'Test2', which had been active for over 12 years and was secured with the weak password 'Password1', classified as 'very weak' by a password strength tool. The attack encrypted 182.7GB of data, with 42GB extracted from Data Cymru's systems. The ICO found that both organizations failed to implement adequate security measures, including regular account reviews and strong password policies. Following the incident, ONL and Data Cymru have since improved their security protocols, including the introduction of multi-factor authentication and regular account audits. The ICO emphasized the importance of basic account management and oversight of outsourced services to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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Timeline

2024-11-01
Ransomware attack occurs
A ransomware attack exploited the 'Test2' account, compromising data of 3,300 individuals.
Localgovernmentlawyer
2025-04-30
Data processing contract formalized
Data Cymru and ONL formalized a legally compliant data processing contract following the incident.
Dailypost
2026-10-20
ICO reprimands ONL and Data Cymru
The ICO issued reprimands to both organizations for failing to secure personal data during the ransomware attack.
Ico.Uk

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Common questions

What data was compromised?
The personal information of 3,300 individuals was compromised, the majority of whom were children.
What security measures have been implemented since the breach?
Both ONL and Data Cymru have introduced multi-factor authentication and regular account reviews.
What was the cause of the breach?
The breach was caused by the exploitation of a test account secured with the weak password 'Password1'.