Malicious cyberattacks and their repercussions

As cybercriminals develop their skills and tools, we see increasingly sophisticated and malicious cyberattacks, many of which can cause adverse consequences for the victims. Cybercrime may well have been strengthened by the coronavirus pandemic, so the risk to personal information is at a high point.

For cybercriminals, the most effective cyberattacks are often those which are highly manipulative, backing their victims into a corner and leaving them defenceless. These cyberattacks can be capable of causing immense distress to the victims, which can last for months or even years after the breach.

However, cybercriminals are not the only threat to personal data. Many companies fail to implement adequate cybersecurity measures, leaving the information in their possession in a more vulnerable position. If a third-party organisation has failed to protect your data, they may be liable to pay compensation. No one should feel forced to accept a data breach, so contact us for advice if you think you may have a compensation claim to make.

Highly malicious cyberattacks

The most malicious cyberattacks often place the attacked organisations and the victims in an almost impossible situation. Ransomware, which reportedly soared massively in 2020, is one such form of cyberattack. It can enable cybercriminals to take control of a computer system or network, then a ransom can be demanded in return for restoring control of the system to the attacked organisation.

While paying a ransom could seem like the only way to protect personal data there is, of course, no guarantee that the criminals will keep their side of the bargain.

In addition, some particularly malicious cyberattacks target incredibly sensitive data. For example, cybercriminals will likely perceive your private medical records as more potent fuel for blackmail than a few contact details, which is why these kind of information can be targeted.

A recent ransomware attack on The Hospital Group, a cosmetic surgery clinic chain, yielded highly private information for the hackers. Among other personal data, the hackers claimed that they had more than 900 gigabytes of patient photographs, described as “before and after” photos. On their darknet website, the hacker group taunted victims by stating that the photos were “not a completely pleasant sight”.

We are currently representing people affected by The Hospital Group data incident.

Responding to cyberattacks

Many organisations fail to prepare for the kind of malicious cyberattacks described above, taking risks in the belief that they are unlikely to be targeted. When organisations fail to implement proper cybersecurity measures, they may be breaching data protection law, which can entitle victims to claim compensation in the event of a data breach.

After taking precautions to ensure your private accounts are protected after a cyberattack, your next step may be to investigate the possibility of making a compensation claim. We can often tell you if you are eligible to claim within minutes, and if you can join a high-profile group action claim, such as our Equifax group action or our British Airways group action.

In a claim, victims can typically recover compensation for the distress that they have suffered, as well as any financial losses and expenses that may have been caused. Both factors can be significant in the case of particularly malicious cyberattacks.

Claim with expert data leak lawyers

As experts in data breach claims, we have led a wide range of individual claims and group actions over the years. You can trust that we have the experience and skills to fight for justice on your behalf, so contact us for free, no-obligation advice about your potential claim.

May 2021- the third anniversary of the GDPR

Unsecured servers and databases – rail passenger data accessible online