A CASHLESS payment system used in a number of schools across Dorset that was out of action earlier this week was hit by a “cyberattack."

WisePay, an online service which can be used to fund lunchtime meals and school trips, was subject to a cyberattack in the form of a "URL manipulation."

According to the online payment system, this means that the payment gateway page was redirected or controlled by a bad actor.

Following the incident, WisePay has engaged a computer forensics expert and the forensic investigation is ongoing.

A spokesperson for WisePay said: "Even though you did not attempt to make any transactions during the period in question, as best practice, we would still recommend that you are especially cautious regarding your personal financial arrangements and take prompt steps to pause or cancel the payment card you have used on our site.

"We also recommend you take additional precautionary steps to change passwords or login details for your bank accounts and credit cards."

In the meantime, WisePay has taken its website offline until the incident is remediated.

It is also taking steps to implement additional security measures designed to prevent a recurrence of such an event.

This includes notifying the UK’s Information Commissioner and law enforcement to ensure the incident is properly addressed.

To further protect your information, it is recommended Wisepay users do the following:

1. Review your account statements and notify law enforcement of suspicious activity.

2. Obtain a copy of your credit report by contacting Experian, Equifax or TransUnion.

3. Place a fraud alert on your credit report.

4. Put a security freeze on your credit file.

5. Check if your email has been misused on www.haveibeenpwned.com