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We focus on the latest news surrounding data breaches, leaks and hacks plus daily internet security articles.

Category: Council

domestic abuse data breach
May 21, 2019

When confidential document disposal goes wrong

Confidential document disposal is a matter that all organisations – both public and private – must take seriously to avoid a data breach incident. But we know things don’t always get done properly as they ought to, and that’s where we come in.

Important data protection laws – including GDPR that came into force this time last year – encompass the handling, and therefore destruction, of data. Confidential documents must not be binned with other general waste because it may lead to a significant data breach. Confidential waste should always be disposed of in a way that ensures information will not be leaked.

If you’re the victim of a data breach that’s caused by a confidential document disposal failure, you may be able to make a claim for compensation.

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website data leaks
May 13, 2019

Charnwood council data breach reported to authorities

A recent Charnwood council data breach incident has been reported to the UK’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The victims of the data breach have also been informed as to what has happened, and the local authority has apologised for the breach.

This is another case of private information being accidentally uploaded online. We represent a large number of people who are claiming for council data breach compensation because of how often incidents can happen, and accidental leaks are unfortunately common. This latest incident doesn’t come as a surprise to us, but it ought to have been prevented in the first place.

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Watford Community Housing email breach
April 16, 2019

Bristol council data breach hits thousands

The Bristol council data breach incident that was reported last week is understood to have affected thousands of residents.

The incident was yet another case of an avoidable data breach that has been caused by what appears to be a simple error. We see these kinds of leaks all the time, and they’re not the first council to have committed a breach just like it.

One of the most severe data breach group actions we’re running stemmed from an incident that’s exactly the same as this one. The damage that can be caused from a simple email error that leads to a leak can be substantial. A large volume of the cases we deal with are for council data breach compensation claims. They really are awfully common.

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domestic abuse data breach
April 10, 2019

Horrendous Bracknell Forest Council data breach

A horrendous Bracknell Forest Council data breach incident has been reported in the media this month, and the circumstances are strikingly familiar.

Unfortunately, the incident doesn’t come as a surprise to us. Over the years we’ve been fighting for the rights of data breach victims, thousands of people have come to us for help. A huge volume of the cases we represent people for are for council data breach compensation claims. They really do happen a lot, and with the wealth of personal and sensitive data that councils hold, the impact on the victims can be serious.

In this case, it’s another incident where information – private and sensitive data – has somehow been sent to the wrong person.

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council email data leaks
March 21, 2019

Avoidable Rotherham Council data leak

There’s been an avoidable Rotherham Council data leak, the likes of which is not an uncommon type of data incident, particularly for a local authority.

Almost 900 people are reportedly affected by the leak, with victims calling the incident “extremely serious” and worrying about the possibilities of falling victim to crime.

One of the most common types of legal cases we run are claims for council data breach compensation. In fact, a huge proportion of the individual cases we’re fighting for justice in involve local authority services. This incident, unfortunately, is unsurprising to hear about.

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employee data breach
March 19, 2019

Worrying Nuneaton and Bedworth Council data breach

There has been a prosecution for a worrying Nuneaton and Bedworth Council data breach that’s an example of how employees can exploit the data they can access.

In this incident, former head of building control at the council, Kevin Bunsell, shared personal information about job applications with his partner. His partner had applied for the same job that the candidates whose data was shared had applied for, and she won the position.

Although we can only speculate as to the motives, we can assume that the reasons for sharing the data were to assist his partner in securing the position which she was eventually awarded.

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how much the average compensation
March 15, 2019

Numerous Gateshead Council data breach incidents

There has been a spate of Gateshead Council data breach incidents since the introduction of the new GDPR data rules that came into force in May 2018.

A number of breaches have been reported, some of which have been referred to the UK’s data watchdog; the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The numerous breaches reportedly include personal and medical data being uploaded online and data sent to the wrong recipients. These kinds of incidents can be common, and we represent a lot of people who claim for council data breach compensation. News of the recent spate of Gateshead Council data breach incidents is a concern, but doesn’t come as a surprise to us.

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letter is sent to the wrong address
March 12, 2019

Another Wokingham Borough Council data breach

There has been another Wokingham Borough Council data breach that comes just weeks after the ongoing news covering the serious sex abuse victim data leak.

In this latest breach, a resident’s benefit payment information has reportedly been leaked by accident in the post. It appears that it’s another case of human error.

What’s just as worrying is that a recent report appears to have identified that the council has suffered five data breaches in the last year. This latest incident has also hit the news just after the recent apologies over the serious sexual abuse victim breach we previously covered.

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email breach
March 06, 2019

Warnings after Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council data breach

Warnings have been issued over a 2017 Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council data breach incident that was said to have been particularly sensitive.

The warnings have come from both the authority itself as well as the UK’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The incident took place before the introduction of last year’s vital GDPR. The incident still amounted to a serious data protection breach and could have led to criminal prosecutions and huge fines faced by the council.

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compromised mobile phone
February 26, 2019

Concerns raised over Anglesey Council data breach threats

A recent report has highlighted concerns over the threat of an Anglesey Council data breach incident after risks were identified as part of an internal audit.

The audit results indicated a need for improvement when it comes to Anglesey Council’s IT network. At least two risks identified as “major” were also reported, and the report is said to have confirmed that there was only “reasonable assurance” that their systems were safe from potential breach incidents.

With council data breach compensation claims being one of the more common types of cases we help people with, the growing numbers of threats and actual breaches local authorities are facing is a problem that needs to be resolved.

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