X

TaskRabbit investigates 'cybersecurity incident,' app taken down

The handyman-for-hire app sends an email to users Monday recommending they change their password if they've used the same one for different websites.

Alfred Ng Senior Reporter / CNET News
Alfred Ng was a senior reporter for CNET News. He was raised in Brooklyn and previously worked on the New York Daily News's social media and breaking news teams.
Alfred Ng
2 min read
screen-shot-2017-09-28-at-12-20-39-pm

TaskRabbit is investigating a "cybersecurity incident," it told users.

TaskRabbit.com

TaskRabbit has a job for cybersecurity experts: find out what happened to their own network.

The handyman-for-hire app, which connects workers with people who have a task they'd rather pay someone else to do, sent an alert to its users on Monday, informing them that they were "investigating a cybersecurity incident."

The company, which Ikea acquired in September, said it's working with an outside cybersecurity firm and law enforcement to figure out what happened. While TaskRabbit is conducting its investigation, the app and the website will temporarily be taken down, the email said.

"As an immediate precaution, if you used the same password on other sites or apps as you did for TaskRabbit, we recommend you change those now," according to the email.

TaskRabbit did not specify how many people were affected by the incident, or what information was lost.

"We regret any inconvenience this may cause our clients and Taskers, and will reschedule any uncompleted tasks as soon as possible. For any Tasker who had a task scheduled today and is unable to complete the task, we will compensate them appropriately," a TaskRabbit representative said in an emailed statement.

The app reportedly had more than 1.25 million users in 2015

On Twitter, TaskRabbit users have sent complaints to the company, pointing out that TaskRabbit's website redirected them to a WordPress page showing the app's Github account.

TaskRabbit responded to users on Twitter, writing that it's "aware of the technical issue and are on the case!"

The WordPress page, wh1ter0sem4v.wordpress.com, has since been taken down. The URL is a reference to an episode title from the first season of "Mr. Robot," a popular show about hackers.  

Cambridge Analytica: Everything you need to know about Facebook's data mining scandal.

Tech Enabled: CNET chronicles tech's role in providing new kinds of accessibility.