Welcome To The Data Leak Lawyers Blog
We focus on the latest news surrounding data breaches, leaks and hacks plus daily internet security articles.
We focus on the latest news surrounding data breaches, leaks and hacks plus daily internet security articles.
Despite the fact that many organisations transitioned to remote working over a year ago, some are still not on top of the cybersecurity issues posed by working from home. As many firms look to continue with remote working in some capacity even with lockdown restrictions largely over, remote working cybersecurity is set to become a long-term priority.
However, some organisations have failed to grasp the different security challenges brought by remote working. Though there are increased IT difficulties in the current climate, no allowances can be made. All organisations must abide by the same data protection regulations that apply to office working.
Regardless of the circumstances in which it was caused, anyone affected by a data breach may be able to claim compensation for any harm caused. If you wish to make an enquiry about a potential data breach claim, you can contact our expert team for free, no-obligation advice.
On top of the Covid-19 pandemic, healthcare organisations across the globe have also had to contend with rising healthcare cyberattacks since the outbreak began. Cybercriminals, perceiving that attention was diverted to managing the virus, have perhaps seen the pandemic as an opportunity to target hospitals and healthcare organisations under strain. The need for strong cybersecurity in the NHS has, therefore, never been more urgent.
Unfortunately, the NHS has not been known for good cybersecurity and data protection measures in the past, having suffered a number of severe cyberattacks and data breaches in recent years. One of the most infamous incidents was the WannaCry ransomware attack of 2017, where the NHS was said to be more susceptible to this attack due to a failure to follow cybersecurity recommendations.
Even within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is no excuse for poor data protection by healthcare organisations, and the government must step in where funding is an issue. It is vital that action is taken to tackle the short-term threat, as well as planning for the future of cyberattacks.
ForHousing and Liberty, two organisations within a social housing group based in Salford, have recently been hit by a cyberattack that may have resulted in data exposure. Part of the ForViva group, both ForHousing and Liberty were reportedly hit by a ransomware hack this July, potentially compromising what is said to be a small amount of information.
The ForViva group has sought to minimise the significance of the incident in its public statements, but breaches like these must not be so readily underestimated. When private information is exposed to cybercriminals, there can be serious repercussions for those affected, whose data may be misused for all kinds of manipulative and fraudulent purposes.
Your Lawyers – The Data Leak Lawyers – are leading specialists in privacy and data breach claims, having represented clients in this area of law since 2014. From our extensive experience of supporting clients, we know how worrying it can be to learn that you have become the victim of a cyberattack, which is why we are here to help those affected by incidents like these to claim the compensation they deserve.
The police have unique rights when it comes to processing and viewing personal information, but that does not mean that there are no limits governing their access to private data. In fact, because they have important legal responsibilities, and the data they can access is so sensitive, it is even more vital that they follow strict data protection rules. Misusing police computers can, therefore, be a serious offence.
We naturally trust the police to keep personal information secure by means of technical cybersecurity measures. Just as importantly, we expect it to be protected in accordance with their assumed integrity and professional standards. When a police officer breaches this duty, the effects can be devastating for those affected, particularly for crime victims in cases where the exposed information relates to a sensitive and traumatic incident.
If you have been affected by a police data breach, you may be entitled to claim compensation for the harm caused. No police officer should be exempt from justice when it comes to data privacy breaches. Your Lawyers, as leading Data Leak Lawyers, are here to help.
A Chorley Council data breach has recently been reported after it was revealed that thousands of members of the public may have had their details exposed by the local authority. The incident appears to be yet another example of the damage that can be done to information security when employees make misjudgements.
Unfortunately, the incident at Chorley Council is only one in a long list of data breaches to have been caused by human error at local government bodies generally. Councils like Chorley should be striving to break with this trend, but there has unfortunately been little progress in terms of data protection it seems.
In the UK, all third-party data controllers are obliged to comply with the GDPR in their protection of the information that they hold and process. If they fail to do so, they can be held accountable, and those affected may have a right to make a compensation claim.
The news of a Pembroke College data leak has recently been reported after it emerged that private details relating to the college’s alumni were made vulnerable to unauthorised access. Users with access to the college’s single sign-on system were reportedly able to access extensive personal information on the former Oxford University students who were hosted at Pembroke College, according to Cherwell.
All organisations that process and store personal data have a legal duty to protect it in accordance with the GDPR. Where they fail to do so, they can be held liable for a data protection breach. In some cases, the affected victims can also be eligible to make compensation claims for the harm caused.
Although it appears that the alumni information was not exposed outside the organisation, the incident at Pembroke College nevertheless demonstrates the problems with failing to manage data access appropriately.
Following a breach of Guntrader.uk, a website that leads in buying and selling of guns in the UK, it is understood that thousands of customers have had their names and addresses exposed. As a result of the Guntrader data breach, those who used the site may have reportedly had their personal information posted to the dark web.
The breach is particularly concerning given the safety risks of making the identities and potential whereabouts of gun owners known to potential criminals. As investigations continue, it is not yet clear how the data theft was allowed to occur. However, if it is found that Guntrader bears responsibility for the information exposure, it could be held liable for a breach of data protection law.
If you have been affected by the Guntrader data breach, we recommend that you come forward to seek legal advice, as there may be grounds for a compensation claim. It is always distressing to learn that your private information could be circulating in the public domain, so it is vital that any responsible parties are held accountable for the harm caused.
Despite looking up private police records without authorisation, a Detective Sergeant has recently evaded dismissal following a misconduct hearing. In the Northamptonshire detective data breach case, the Detective Sergeant reportedly looked up the details of a woman with whom he was engaging in an extra-marital relationship with at the time, who was involved in a case he was working on.
His actions reportedly amounted to misconduct, so the Northamptonshire Police appear to be sending mixed messages by not taking the matter any further. The police can, and often do, dismiss officers for similar offences, but this officer’s acceptance of the accusations against him, and his standing in the force, seem to have allowed him to avoid further consequences.
Police data breaches like this should be treated with the severity that they merit, taking account of the potential damage such actions can cause. Police services cannot afford to let employees off lightly for breaching data access regulations, as doing so could risk compromising the force’s reputation and its overall data security and integrity.
NHS CCTV cameras have reportedly been embroiled in a hack affecting security footage across the globe, after security company Verkada is understood to have been breached by hackers. It is said that live streams for as many as 150,000 Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras may have been viewed by unauthorised users.
Serving organisations include prisons, general businesses, schools and even psychiatric hospitals. The breach of Verkada’s cameras may have exposed the identities of many people working in, living in, or visiting affected institutions.
It is unclear exactly which feeds hackers may have viewed and what they gleaned from the footage, but it is nevertheless worrying to learn that a security firm has been subjected to such a wide-reaching breach. There is currently no evidence that any NHS camera feeds were viewed by hackers, but Verkada lists the NHS as one of its clients on the company website. Hackers have also claimed that they have been able to access the cameras of any of the affected organisations.
Recent coverage has revealed that action taken by bank employees and police prevented some £45m of fraud in 2020, saving customers from the loss of an average of almost £6,000 each. The figure is a testament to the success of the Banking Protocol scheme that encourages banks and the police to work together to protect consumers.
However, the huge £45m sum is also a sign of the scale of fraud in the UK. As leading, specialists in data protection law, we believe that the link between data breaches and fraud is a problem that needs to be addressed. When a third-party organisation fails to protect your personal information, it may be leaked into the hands of cybercriminals, who may attempt to steal from you via various kinds of manipulative scams.
We believe that it is essential that all data controllers are held to account when they fail to observe their legal duties. We have helped thousands of consumers to recover the compensation that they deserve, so we encourage any data breach victims to come forward for free, no-obligation advice on their potential claims.
EasyJet admits data of nine million hacked
British Airways data breach: How to claim up to £6,000 compensation
Are you owed £5,000 for the Virgin Media data breach?
Virgin Media faces £4.5 BILLION in compensation payouts
BA customers given final deadline to claim compensation for data breach
Shoppers slam Morrisons after loyalty points stolen
Half a million customers can sue BA over huge data breach
Lawyers accuse BA of 'swerving responsibility' for data breach
The biggest data breaches of 2020
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