Respond to a disaster
Suspicious messages during a cyber incident
How to check messages about refunds, deliveries or medical records and protect your accounts.
At homeOut and about
In an emergency, contact local emergency services and follow official instructions.
First, check this
Scammers may use a real incident as a reason to contact you. Verify unexpected messages through the organisation's official contact details, found independently. [9] [10]
Check before responding
- Do not rely on a message's links or phone numbers. Find the organisation's official website or a number you already know and contact it directly. [9]
- A service disruption alone does not mean your own account was compromised. If a data breach is confirmed, follow the organisation's official instructions and check whether you are affected. [10]
If your information is exposed
- Change affected passwords and any passwords reused on other accounts. Enable two-step verification on important accounts. Contact your bank promptly if your payment information was exposed. [6] [10]
What about AI?
- AI can make some parts of cyber operations faster and more effective, and impersonation harder to spot. The UK NCSC's assessments describe risks and forecasts; they do not establish that AI was used in any particular incident. [8]
Related topics
Source
- 6. UK NCSC: two-step verification
- 8. UK NCSC: AI and cyber intrusion assessment
- 9. UK NCSC: spotting scams
- 10. UK NCSC: responding to a data breach
Research reviewed: 7 November 2026
Sources may be in Korean or English. Always follow current local guidance.