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.
In the UK last year, the coronavirus pandemic caused us to lead more and more of both our personal and professional lives online. As such, the risk of fraud from data breaches has heightened.
In 2020, The Daily Express reported that one in five people (equating to around 11 million) had their data hacked, and one in three reported that they are unequipped to protect their online data. This is a shocking number of victims which, in our view, is indicative of a national crisis in cybercrime. It undoubtedly reveals that large-scale action needs to be taken.
Indeed, the shocking nature of such statistics is part of the problem, as experts (ourselves included) cite low awareness as a key reason why the number of victims has been allowed to reach this horrifying height. The vice-president of Clario, the body which compiled the research in association with thinktank Demos, highlighted that victims seem to “think they should suffer in silence”.
According to recent media reports, a large number of psychotherapy patients, who belong to the same large clinic in Finland, found themselves on the receiving end of blackmail from a data breach.
Vastaamo, a countrywide practice, appears to have been targeted in two separate breaches, one potentially occurring in March 2019, and an initial attack as far back as November 2018. It appears that victims’ personal data was stolen from the company’s data storage system.
Although this is not a case we can represent people for, with it not being in England or Wales, it is an important one to consider. Ultimately, the risks – as we often advise – when it comes to this kind of data breach can be severe.
A recent meeting of local councillors has reportedly highlighted data security problems that could put the Lichfield District Council in breach of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The issue surrounds the reported continued use of unencrypted laptops and was raised by Cllr Joanne Grange, who is understood to have expressed concerns that the problems had still not been addressed three years after they were identified in 2017.
It is understood that Cllr Grange suggested that the failure to update working practices in accordance with data protection regulations could be tantamount to “negligence”. Her statements have undoubtedly highlighted some key problems which the council should feel obliged to address as a matter of urgency.
In the case of the recent Transform Hospital Group data breach, the large cosmetic surgery chain has been targeted by hackers who seem to be aiming to extort money from the company.
The group has not yet given a number for how many customers have been affected, but the data exposed is reported to be extensive. The inclusion of ‘before and after’ surgery photos has been a cause of particular concern among the victims, who fear they may be published on the internet.
For anyone involved in a data leak, the impact of having your information exposed can be devastating. In some of the worst of cases, the privacy of the information exposed can make the aftermath a deeply upsetting time. We have already taken on clients who have been affected by the Transform Hospital Group data breach, so do not hesitate to contact us if you would like advice regarding your potential compensation claim.
With the festive season now over, a recent survey reported that two-thirds of shoppers were worried about holiday data breaches that may have ensued as huge numbers of customers flocked to online stores to make their Christmas purchases.
It seems that the coronavirus pandemic has prompted consumers to shop via online stores in their droves; even those who have previously avoided online shopping due to cybersecurity fears have had to turn to retail websites, despite their concerns about entering their credit card details to make an online payment.
While shopping trends have been evolving for several years, and many high street stores are gradually declining, the coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly increased the growth of online shopping. It is, therefore, unsurprising that fears of online data breaches have heightened as Christmas approaches.
As pressure mounts on the airline, a British Airways data breach settlement is on the cards as the legal representatives of BA alert the court of their intentions to engage in negotiations.
The breaking news of this development comes from leading consumer action and data breach firm Your Lawyers, with wide coverage so far with major media outlets including The Sun and The Mirror. Your Lawyers, who sit on the Steering Committee responsible for the overall conduct of the litigation, declare that this is a massive step forward. This could signal the start of the end of the action that is now entering its third year, and it could represent an incredibly significant compensation pay-out bill that could reach up to £2.4 billion to be shared between over 400,000 victims if all initiate a claim.
The announcement signifies what we always believed should have been on the horizon. A settlement could effectively draw a line under the serious 2018 data breach that shocked the world. We urge victims who have yet to claim to come forward to start their case before the deadline to claim expires soon.
2020 has been yet another year of data breaches, resulting in our leading team of lawyers here taking on many new cases and launching several new actions.
We had hoped that the introduction of the GDPR in 2018 would lead to serious improvements and that we would see far fewer breaches, leaks and hacks. Sadly, this has not been the case and, if anything, the volume of breaches continues to grow.
What has not helped us in 2020 is, of course, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The increased reliance on the use of technology to be able to work and live has resulted in an increase in cyberattacks, and hackers have done their best to exploit the situation. When it comes to 2021, we expect the current trends to continue.
Suffering the impact of a data breach at Christmas is something we are used to helping people with on a No Win, No Fee basis.
This is the time of year when data breach numbers can increase as more people go online to spend in time for the big day. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, more of our shopping is now online anyway, and the dangers of breaches, leaks and hacks are evident.
If you suffer from a data breach, you should never suffer in silence. Here is how we can help you.
Taking advantage of the police database for personal use can amount to an extreme breach of privacy and an abuse of power by the individual accessing the information.
Accessing the police database for personal use means that the person who is accessing personal and sensitive data does not have the authority or right to do so, and it may not relate to any past or active cases of the individual.
In many cases, the data breach victim is known to the employee and it is a case of data snooping. Data breaches of this nature can be severe and may involve someone the police officer has a negative relationship with, meaning the risks can be significant. Under no circumstances should staff abuse the police database for personal use. If they do, and you have been a victim of a data breach of this nature, you could be eligible to make a data breach compensation claim with the Data Leak Lawyers today.
We have been approached for advice and have agreed to take forward No Win, No Fee compensation claims for those affected by the People’s Energy data breach.
News of the People’s Energy data breach has just broken in the media following the discovery of the cyberattack yesterday. We have already been approached for help and have agreed to take legal action now – if you have received confirmation that you are affected, please do not hesitate to contact our team for free, no-obligation advice now.
As a leading firm of data breach compensation lawyers, we are often approached immediately by victims when a new cyberattack or data leak emerges. Representing thousands of clients, having launched over 45 data breach group actions, we are ready to take claims for this new breach forward now for anyone based in England and Wales.
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