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Unprotected database containing 10 million U.S. vehicle owners’ personal details leaked

Approximately 10 million U.S. vehicle owners’ personal data was left exposed after a massive database containing their information was leaked.

Security researchers from Kromtech Security found the unprotected database split into three main sections which is thought to contain ‘critical and sensitive information’. The first section includes names, addresses, home and work numbers, dates of birth, gender and the number of children over 12 years old.

This information is thought to have been extracted from numerous U.S. based car dealerships.
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Members of Parliament and Peers fall victim to brute force hacking attack

A cyber-attack on the U.K Parliament has prompted concerns over national security as rumours are pointing the finger-of-blame towards a hostile state for the hack.

On the 23^rd June 2017, a “sustained and determined cyber attack” was carried out. The hacker(s) attacked MP and Peer IT systems to reportedly get into their email accounts, and were successful in gaining access into 90 accounts.

Although this is only 1% of the 9,000 accounts on the same system, it’s nevertheless worrying in terms of exactly what information hackers may have obtained…
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Most sensitive and personal data breach in Australia’s history?

In what is being described as “one of the worst data breaches” in Australian history, naked photos and medical records of hundreds of women have been published online.

The Cosmetic Institute in Bondi was hit by the breach where sensitive data of hundreds of patients who undertook cosmetic surgery at the clinic was accessible outside the clinic. The leaked data is thought to include a wealth of very personal data about the affected victims, so this is a very serious breach indeed.
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AA’s data breach: recovery may not be enough this time…

Leading U.K. motoring company the AA is the latest to be involved in a data breach scandal that could end up crippling for customers.

AA President, Edmund King, finally confirmed they were informed of the potential vulnerability of the AA Shop data on 22^nd April 2017.

The motoring company reportedly misled customers by denying they had any knowledge of the leak and tried to reassure customers that their information was very secure. Researchers weren’t convinced this was the case and so decided to dig deeper, and it has since transpired that AA knew about the vulnerability in their database systems back in April.
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Medical device industry falling behind on cyber security

The need for Cyber security is no longer an option – it’s needed, thanks to a real risk to all who live in modern society.

If you have a mobile phone, an email account, a bank account – anything that links you to the digital world where masses of information is stored online – you can be at risk. Even seeing your GP or having an operation opens you up to data breaches. How do you know a hospital receptionist won’t accidentally send your medical files into the public domain? Or perhaps your GP uses an old version of windows with a number of security faults that open patient databases vulnerable to data hacks?

The medical industry is under huge and constant threats of data breaches; but is there enough being done to protect it?
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70% of smartphone users sharing more personal information through apps than they realise

Smart phones and apps; again…

Data researchers have found that a large majority of people are installing mobile applications on their phones without realising just how much data they’re sharing. Whilst the apps are required to seek permission before accessing certain information, it has transpired that some apps may be accessing more than users are aware of.
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Are hacked passwords the crux to data breaches?

According to security and risk management company CSO, hacked passwords are reportedly the cause of 81% of data breaches.

Some may then say “users/individuals should be more cautious about what passwords they use” – but what about the responsibility of businesses and organisations to ensure the safety of their users’ personal data?

The impact of one person’s compromised credentials could be felt far and wide…
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U.K. government reportedly breaching personal data at least once an hour

Some may fall into a false sense of security that governmental departments are the safest place for securing data, but latest statistics reveal that personal data held by governmental departments is being breached at least once an hour!

According to the Commons’ Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report, there were an astonishing 8,995 data breaches in the largest 17 Whitehall departments back in 2015.

The figure amounts to approximately 24 breaches a day; i.e. one an hour!
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U.K. Firms “very unprepared” for data breaches

Telecommunication companies say they expect the number of breaches to rise over the next year and around 75% of these companies are wary that this is the case.

The study, undertaken by analyst firm Ovum, and commissioned by analytics software firm FICO, found that although 53% of U.K. executives believe there will be a growth in attempts to access data, less than half of firms are likely to direct their resources to enhancing cyber-security. This approach is clearly dangerous and reckless.

They’re aware that more and more people are trying to access data, but they seem to forget that, without effective cyber-security, more and more data breaches will be inevitable.
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Several mainstream apps pay $5.3 million settlement for illegally accessing iOS users’ contacts list

Several popular applications were accused of accessing iPhone user contact address books without their knowledge or consent between 2009 and 2012.

Twitter, Instagram, Yelp and Foursquare are among the companies whose apps were accused of the data breach, and many complaints were made that the practice was a breach of personal privacy. With the number of people affected, the matter was brought to the attention of regulators who found that the social network platform Path were liable for breaches, and a huge settlement has been made.
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