TalkTalk admits around 21,000 unencrypted bank details accessed in hacking

Around 21,000 unique bank account numbers and sort codes were accessed in the TalkTalk cyber attack, the firm said on Friday.

ITV News understands the bank details were unencrypted .

TalkTalk also said hackers got hold of around 1.2 million customer email addresses, names and phone numbers.

However, the company said the data hacked was "significantly less than originally suspected".

"Even though the scale of the attack is significantly smaller than initially suspected, we continue to advise customers to be vigilant, and to take all precautions possible to protect themselves from scam phone calls and emails," a TalkTalk spokesman said.

The announcement comes on the same day a second teenager was arrested in connection with the attack.

The 16-year-old, from Feltham in west London, was held on suspicion of computer misuse after a search of his home yesterday.

A 15-year-old boy from County Antrim in Northern Ireland was arrested on Monday in connection with the alleged data theft.

He was bailed until a date in November.

The investigation is being carried out by the Met's cyber crime unit, the PSNI's cyber crime centre and the National Crime Agency.

The investigation is being carried out by the Met's cyber crime unit, the PSNI's cyber crime centre and the National Crime Agency.