I’ve been hacked: what do i do?

If you've experienced a cyber attack or think your account may have been compromised, we can help you understand what to do next, where to get support and how to reduce the risk of it happening again.

Immediate actions you should take

Isolate the issue, document the facts, report it fast. Here’s how:

  • Isolate affected devices
    Isolate affected devices
    Disconnect impacted devices from your network straight away by unplugging the cable or switching off Wi‑Fi. Do not power them down, as this could remove valuable evidence.
  • Alert your IT team or MSP
    Alert your IT team or MSP
    Contact your IT support provider immediately so they can begin investigating.
  • Reset credentials
    Reset credentials
    Change passwords as soon as possible, especially for admin accounts, Microsoft 365, email and banking systems.
  • Pause critical processes
    Pause critical processes
    If payment fraud is suspected, stop all electronic payments immediately. 

Your legal and reporting obligations

You could have just 72 hours to report a breach, so it’s best to act as soon as something doesn’t look right. Start keeping a record straight away, including the key facts.

  • Report to ICO (Data Breach)

    If customer or employee personal data is involved, report the breach to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) within 72 hours of discovery.

  • Report to Action Fraud (Crime)

    If the incident involves cybercrime such as fraud, ransomware or phishing, report it to Action Fraud, the UK's national reporting centre. If in Scotland, call 101 to report it to Police Scotland.

  • Contact your bank

    If money has been lost or fraudulent transactions are suspected, call your business bank immediately.

Contact our Cyber Guides

Get clear and practical advice tailored to your business, from real people you can speak to by phone, chat, or in-store. No jargon. No pressure. Just help when you need it.

  • Chat with a Cyber Guide

    Get quick answers to your questions by pressing the AI Assistant button and asking to speak to a Cyber Guide, available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. You can also ask our AI Assistant questions 24/7, 365 days a year.

  • Call a Cyber Guide on 0800 084 1520

    Speak to a UK-based Cyber Guide for straightforward security advice and support. Available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

  • Book a free in-store security consultation

    Visit your local BT and EE store for practical cyber security advice tailored to your business. Available in over 400 stores nationwide.
Book an appointment
Contact our Cyber Guides

Why you can trust us

With over 1,600 trusted security professionals, we’ve been protecting ourselves, our customers and the UK’s critical national infrastructure for over 70 years. We protect the UK from 4 million cyber threats each day.

17 million

SMS spam

We block 17 million SMS spam and phishing messages every month.

164 million

malicious domains

We leverage advanced intelligence to block around 164 million malicious domains each month to protect our customers online.

2 million

spam calls

We block over two million international spam calls spoofing UK numbers monthly, safeguarding our customers from fraud.

4.1 million

phishing emails

We automatically block 4.1 million phishing emails and links monthly, safeguarding our broadband customers from online threats.