Ikea-owned TaskRabbit shuts down to deal with a 'cybersecurity incident'

ODDJOBBING APP TaskRabbit has been pulled offline after a suspected cyber attack.

In a highly unusual move, emails were sent to the company's database of users and 'taskers' informing them that the site was closed pending investigation of some bunny business.

Yes, it's going to be one of those INQ articles. We know you'll be lapin in up. 

"We are currently investigating a cybersecurity incident. We are working with an outside cyber security firm and law enforcement to determine specifics. In the meantime, the app and website are offline while our team works on this," TaskRabbit said. 

The company, which was bought by Ikea last year making it a Hare apparent and owing in no small part to its popularity with people who can't be arsed with flatpack furniture building, has promised its 'taskers' that they will be compensated 'appropriately' if they were unable to get to pre-booked tasks because of the suspension.

It is warning all users to change their password, and that of any other sites using the same password. After all - old rabbits die hard. 

It has not, however, said exactly what the problem is, how it came to light, or how serious it is, but actually taking the hit of shutting down your site at your own expense is pretty serious, we'd say.

Although primarily US-focused, where it has gained a niche for having a 'better class' of handyman with the vast majority being university educated, it does operate in London, where it can be used from anything from picking up shopping and cleaning drains through to building the aforementioned flat-pack furniture.

Customers are said to be multiplying like... well, you know. 

TaskRabbit has apologised for the inconvenience and hops to be rescheduling tasks 'as soon as possible' (ahem, sorry).

The news is another warning of the dangers of the so-called 'gig economy'. Although most people do tasks for 'beer money' some have made a career out of TaskRabbit and are now on enforced unpaid leave because of a hack. It can be a bit hare-raising when you have no workers' rights. 

Now, imagine that it had been Uber or Lyft? Areweright?

Full details of the extent and consequences of the hack are expected to be revealed later today. We'll be all ears. Like a rabbit. 

In the meantime, we have to question the 'luck' of rabbit feet, given that four of them didn't protect us.  µ

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