Electronics manufacturer investigating possible security breach, report says

Dutch consumer electronics company Philips may have recently experienced a online security breach that forced the manufacturer to shut down one of its servers, Reuters reported.

Philips indicated that it is currently investigating the incident to determine if any customer information was obtained during the event. According to the news source, spokesman Steve Klink could not confirm if any company or consumer data was missing.

"It isn't prudent to make any statements until we've gotten to the bottom of this and completed the investigation," Klink said, according to Reuters.

Philips later announced on its website that the server was shut down after some its small business websites may have been the target of a security attack.

Online security attacks continue to impact all types of businesses across the globe, placing customer information in a vulnerable position. According to PCWorld's Nick Mediati, passwords are the first line of defense to protect sensitive data, and consumers should choose their phrasing wisely or make purchases manually if possible. Another way to defend against hackers is through the use of password manager software.