Ikea’s TaskRabbit Admits Cyber Incident

Ikea’s TaskRabbit has suspended its odd jobs marketplace website and app after it confirmed a ‘cybersecurity incident’.

It said it was working hard to get the website back online, but is recommending that users TaskRabbit change their passwords as a precaution.

It is not clear at the moment the precise nature of this ‘cybersecurity incident’, but it could be yet another data breach of some kind. Earlier this month both US airline Delta Air Lines and American department store Sears Holding confirmed data breaches after an incident with a third party tech provider.

Cybersecurity incident

“We continue to investigate a cybersecurity incident,” said the Ikea website and app, which helps people find workers or people to complete household chores and tasks such as cleaning, gardening, assembling flat-pack furniture or even queuing (yes queuing).

“We are deeply committed to our community and understand how important your personal information is,” it added. “Our entire team is working around the clock with an outside cybersecurity firm and law enforcement to determine the specifics.

“The app and the website are offline while our team works on this,” TaskRabbit said. “We’re working to get the site back online as quickly as possible and continuing our investigation into the incident.”

The UK’s information commissioner’s office told the BBC it was “aware of a potential data breach” and was “looking into” the situation.

Meanwhile TaskRabbit has urged people to change their passwords on other websites and apps, if they have used their TaskRabbit password for other accounts.

TaskRabbit is based in San Francisco and it was purchased by the Swedish retail giant Ikea in 2017, although it operates as an independent division within the overall Ikea Group.

TaskRabbit has proven to be popular since it was founded back in 2008, as it connects users with people (whose identities and trustworthiness are thoroughly vetted by the app maker and rated by fellow users) willing to do those things that users simply don’t have time for.

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