Updated, 16:25

ONE OF THE country’s largest recruitment websites has been forced offline after learning of a major breach of its users’ data, when 400,000 users’ email addresses were compromised.
RecruitIreland.com has closed its site temporarily after it emerged that many of its users’ names and email addresses were apparently compromised, with many receiving fraudulent emails purporting to contain job offers afterward.

In an email sent to the site’s users, RecruitIreland said it had become aware of the data breach at 1:50pm yesterday, after which a number of users received emails – an example of which is reproduced below – apparently offering them work in the UK or Ireland.

It is thought that some users, if replying to the mails, could then have been solicited for their bank account details.

Dear Applicant [name], agency is seeking for hardworking assistant in Ireland/UK. No experience needed – free study available. Big profit potential.

Firm will give application form if you are ready for work.

Requirements:

• Must own a notebook with unlimited email access
• Must own personal bank accuont
• Needs excellent organizational skills
• Applicants must be fair and business oriented.

Working only some hours per day. You can easy connect our work with your main work. Any personal in the Ireland/UK can be out manager.

Thank you for your attention.

RecruitIreland managing director Tom Crosbie told TheJournal.ie that the company website had been taken offline by 2pm yesterday, and that the firm had informed the Data Protection Commissioner and the Gardaí.

“From our investigations to date, we believe that the data compromised was [just] email addresses and names.”

About 400,000 users had been compromised by the breach, which Crosbie said formed an overwhelming majority of the company’s userbase.

Crosbie was confident, however, that no other details – such as passwords or CVs – had been made vulnerable by the breach.

“With the help of some outside expertise, all going well we hope to be back online later today,” he said.

Did you receive an email like the one mentioned above, or reply to it? If so, get in touch via the ‘Alert the author’ feature.