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After massive Equifax data breach, experts advise regular reviews of bank accounts

Equifax made history when it was hacked. Personal information belonging to an eye-watering 146 million people in the US, UK and Canada was at the centre of the breach.

The incident caused massive outrage as the hack was performed by exploiting a known vulnerability that Equifax failed to patch up. Affected consumers were understandably shocked and angry by the violation of their data rights, some weren’t even aware Equifax were storing their information. All the anger and disappointment aside, the breach has a real life risk to those exposed. So, what can be done to protect them?
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Data leak and data breach compensation – a very quick guide

Data leak and data breach compensation is a fairly new area of law. It’s definitely still within its infancy, but as the digital age continues to grow, it’s never been more relevant than now.

Data leaks and data breaches are happening all the time. Go back 20-years and we were still very much reliant on paper, but nowadays, I’m sure almost all office workers are sat in front of a computer that’s connected to a network and the internet.

This hugely expansive ability to connect, coupled with the growth in the use of digital information, has led to a time where leaks and breaches really are a continual problem, and people need to know what their rights are as a victim of a data leak or a data breach.
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Three NHS employees found guilty of illegal data snooping

Despite Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) warnings, NHS employees are continuing to breach data protection laws. We again see employees being found guilty of illegally accessing medical records belonging to people they know – i.e. family, friends, neighbours and colleagues – we assume this data snooping is merely to satisfy their curiosity.

In this latest batch, three perpetrators were fined by the ICO for their clear and obvious breaches, and we are yet again left wondering what can be done to stop these continual events happening.
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The trends of council and local government breaches

Although we appreciate the hard work of those who work in our councils and local government bodies, data breaches in the public sector remain a big problem. In order to do their jobs, these establishments often need access to a lot of our personal data such as contact details, medical records, criminal records, etc.

We trust them with this information because, after all, they’re a part of the public establishment who are supposed to be there to look after our best interests. But there have been a large number of data breach cases that have left many worried about our data in their hands.
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Out-of-date devices like pagers reportedly a security risk

A report has suggested that employees from industrial environments may be leaking data through their pagers. For those industries still using such technology to communicate with their employees, this is not good news, and the report details how unsecure pager devices really are.

Pagers – wireless telecommunication devices that receive and display messages and voice messages – are practically a thing of the past now, but if they’re still in use, the risks need to be addressed.
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Disqus reveals data breach from half a decade ago

Half a decade late, blog comment company Disqus has reportedly admitted a data breach that saw email addresses and passwords stolen from 17.5 million users.

Disqus, a global company that provides websites like blogs with an extension so users can leave comments on posts, was hit by hackers. The hackers reportedly managed to steal information dated back to 2007, which included usernames with associated email addresses, sign-up dates, lost login dates and hashed passwords.
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Does a company have to report a data breach?

The simple answer is – at the moment – no.

Companies and organisations are responsible for data breaches, but don’t have to report them, although it’s generally deemed as good practice to report a breach. However, they do not always have a legal obligation to report a data breach under the Data Protection Act (DPA), but this is all set to change in 2018 when the EU GDPR comes into force.

So, in the near future, reporting certain breaches will actually be mandatory…
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How punishable is the misuse of private information?

In a world where millions of files can be transferred in mere seconds at the click of a button, it’s hard to keep on top of who knows what these days. With today’s ever-advancing technology, one photograph can go viral on a worldwide scale in a matter of minutes.

For those of us who prefer our most personal information to not be broadcast and shared with the world, it can be difficult to keep it private nowadays. The Data Protection Act (DPA) helps with this since it came into force in 1998, and it tells us that, in England and Wales, personal information must be protected and tightly controlled.

Any misuse of private information can be punishable.
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Reportedly, only 25% of companies can detect data hacks or data leaks

According to some research, as little as 25% of companies have the technology installed to detect hacking and data breaches.

This is a shocking fact, but not at all surprising; and it’s a reminder of how the huge cyber hacks like the TalkTalk one from 2015 ended up happening. They, as many have been in the past, were just too slow to realise a hack had occurred, and by the time they knew, hundreds of thousands of customers had already had their data accessed.

If only a quarter of businesses can detect these hacks, we’re set for a bleak future when it comes to cybersecurity.
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Medical data still the most commonly breached information

Healthcare breaches are common, but it can also be a case of them being more likely to be reported. Whichever way you look at it, something needs to be done about the continually growing trend of medical data breaches.

All those who work in the healthcare sector have a duty to not disclose, mishandle, or misuse a patients’ personal information. In fact, this is the very foundation of a patient / doctor relationship. However, while most people believe their personal information is protected, data breaches by the NHS and the healthcare sector remain far too common.
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