The National Crime Agency (NCA) has reported that it has arrested a 17-year-old-boy on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences in relation to the recent cyber attack on Transport for London (TfL).
It said the teenager, reported to be from Walsall, was arrested on 5 September, has been questioned by NCA officers and bailed.
The agency is leading the law enforcement response to the attack, which has caused TfL to reduce access to digital systems and acknowledge that some customer data had been accessed.
Deputy director Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said: “We have been working at pace to support Transport for London following a cyber attack on their network, and to identify the criminal actors responsible.
“Attacks on public infrastructure such as this can be hugely disruptive and lead to severe consequences for local communities and national systems.
“The swift response by TfL following the incident has enabled us to act quickly, and we are grateful for their continued co-operation with our investigation, which remains ongoing.
TfL has indicated that it will be contacting around 5,000 customers in relation to their data.
Evolving situation
Its chief technology officer, Shashi Verma, said yesterday: "Although there has been very little impact on our customers so far, the situation continues to evolve and our investigations have identified that certain customer data has been accessed. This includes some customer names and contact details (including email addresses and home addresses where provided).
"Some Oyster card refund data may also have been accessed. This could include bank account numbers and sort codes for a limited number of customers. As a precautionary measure, we will be contacting these customers directly as soon as possible to advise them of the support we can provide and the steps they can take."
The organisation has also put in place measures including an all-staff IT identity check.
