HCLTech has said it has found no evidence that its systems or client environments were breached after a hacker group allegedly claimed exposure of limited employee-related data. The clarification comes a day after rival IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) disclosed that it had received threat-intelligence alerts about possible exposure of employee information.
In a filing dated 10 August, HCLTech said its initial investigation suggested that the data referred to in the claims could be limited in scope and several years old. The company added that there was no evidence of a breach of its systems or any engagement with its clients.
The company said it is continuing its investigation and will disclose any material findings. HCLTech also reiterated that cybersecurity remains a priority and that it is committed to protecting information entrusted to it.
The development is significant for India's large IT services companies, which manage sensitive data and technology infrastructure for global enterprises. However, the statements from both HCLTech and TCS so far distinguish between claims of employee-data exposure and a confirmed compromise of their systems.
HCLTech's filing followed media reports about claims made by a hacker group regarding the potential exposure of certain data relating to its employees.
The company did not confirm that the alleged data originated from a recent breach. Instead, its preliminary assessment indicated that the information could be limited and dated back a few years. HCLTech also specifically said there was no evidence of a breach involving its own systems or its engagement with clients.
The company has not disclosed the nature or volume of the data allegedly exposed. It also has not said whether the information was obtained directly from HCLTech systems or through another source.
HCLTech said its investigation is still underway and that any material findings will be reported to the stock exchanges.
The HCLTech clarification came shortly after TCS disclosed a similar cybersecurity-related alert. TCS said it had received threat-intelligence information alleging possible exposure of some employee information but said its investigation had found no credible evidence of a breach of TCS systems or customer environments.
TCS said the information referenced in the alert appeared to be more than four years old and was limited to basic employee information. It also said there was no indication that customer data, customer systems or its operational systems had been affected.
According to TCS, the attacker claimed to have used techniques including password spraying and MFA fatigue. The company said safeguards against such techniques had been in place for more than two years and that it continued to monitor its environment.
For HCLTech, the investigation remains ongoing. As of its latest exchange filing, the company has not confirmed a systems breach or any impact on client environments.
Kirti Jha is a Senior Content Producer at Mint, where she writes on mutual funds, taxation, personal finance and macroeconomic developments. Her reporting focuses on helping readers understand complex financial developments through data-driven, research-backed stories that explain how policy changes, market trends and regulatory decisions affect investors and households. <br><br> Before joining Mint, Kirti worked at ET Money, where she specialised in mutual fund research and investment analysis. She tracked portfolio disclosures, fund manager strategies, sectoral allocation shifts and investment trends, distilling large datasets into investor-focused insights. Her work combined quantitative analysis with consumer-centric storytelling, enabling readers to better understand fund positioning, portfolio changes and long-term investment opportunities.<br><br> Kirti holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, and a Master's in Finance from the Jindal School of Banking & Finance at O.P. Jindal Global University. Her academic training emphasised analytical thinking, quantitative research and financial decision-making, providing a strong foundation in understanding capital markets, financial systems and economic policy. With a combined experience in investment research and financial journalism, she is committed to producing accurate, accessible and insightful journalism that empowers readers to make well-informed financial decisions.
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