Impact of Covid on data protection

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the risks to cybersecurity have been widely perceived as greater. Cybercriminals have been taking advantage of poor data protection methods whilst also enhancing their methods of attack. We cannot yet fully assess the impact of Covid on data protection right now, but we can examine the evolving threat levels and look at how consumer attitudes to data have changed over the course of the pandemic.

Awareness of data security has always varied from person to person. Your Lawyers – The Data Leak Lawyers – as leading specialists in data breach law, we believe that each person should know about their right to good data protection. In the event of a data breach, this knowledge can be essential in ensuring companies are held to account for their errors. We support thousands of people in their fight to recover compensation following data breaches, and we want to make sure the data protection errors made during the coronavirus pandemic do not go unnoticed.

The cybersecurity risk

When looking at the impact of Covid on data protection, we can see that many third-party data controllers seem to have more external threats to contend with. We know that the theft of passwords from hacks and ransomware are both understood to be on the rise anyway, never mind during the pandemic. In addition, it appears that phishing emails are increasingly playing upon current events, with many scams using buzzwords such as “Covid”, “masks”, “vaccine” and “tests” to draw their targets in.

But the cybersecurity risk is not entirely the fault of just the criminals. The coronavirus pandemic forced a mass shift to remote working which many businesses were not equipped to deal with. Without the correct protections on devices and networks – such as multi-factor authentication and network encryption – it is possible that some businesses have put themselves in breach of the GDPR.

Impact of Covid on data protection attitudes

The consumer dimension of this issue can be seen if we look at the impact of Covid on data protection attitudes. Some have argued that the pandemic has prompted people to develop a greater awareness of data security issues, causing them to expect more of data controllers. It is indeed possible that the countless reports of data breaches, as well as the scam emails filling our inboxes, have made consumers more conscious of the threats to their information.

The government and companies alike still have a long way to go to make consumers more comfortable about sharing personal data. In the best-case scenario, all would respond to the increased cybersecurity threat level by helping to encourage data protection provision.

Our mission to protect people’s rights

We know that the negative impact of Covid on data protection has provoked justified concerns among consumers, but we are here to make sure your rights are upheld.

Every third-party data controller is required to protect your information by law, and if they fail in this duty, you may be able to make a data leak compensation claim. No one should have to suffer the effects of a data breach, which is why we fight to ensure consumers can access the justice they deserve when this happens.

Anyone who thinks they may have an opportunity to claim can contact us for free, no-obligation advice.

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Data protection breaches and compensation claims