The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) database have been hacked

The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) in South Africa disclosed a security incident resulting in the unauthorized access and exposure of personal information belonging to both clients and employees.

Although the CIPC labelled the breach as “attempted,” successful exfiltration of data implies a partial success. The breach triggered a swift response from the CIPC’s ICT and information security teams, leading to the isolation and containment of the compromise.

The affected systems were then restored, and the commission is actively investigating the extent of the exposure. The compromised data may include details such as the names and addresses of registered South African businesses and their directors, along with information on patent and trademark holders.

While the CIPC works to minimize the impact, it advises affected parties to monitor credit card transactions and only authorize known and valid transaction requests. The commission expressed regret for any inconvenience caused and emphasized its commitment to ensuring the safety and protection of all systems and platforms against unauthorized access.