We focus on the latest news surrounding data breaches, leaks and hacks plus daily internet security articles.
We’ve seen a number of data breaches in 2019, as well as developments in some of the high-profile cases that we’re involved with.
As the year comes to a close, it’s a time to reflect on the fact that there have been 4 billion records breached so far, according to Norton. This is despite the introduction of the GDPR last year that should have pushed organisations into ensuring that leaks, breaches and hacks are always at a minimum.
As the issue of data breaches continues to affect us all, it’s also important for the victims to know their rights when their personal information has been misused or exposed.
There has been a large volume of gaming app data breaches in recent years, and it may well be a trend that’s set to continue as these kinds of apps grow in popularity.
Gaming apps are now used by millions across the world, and there are no doubt hundreds of even thousands of them to choose from worldwide. We’ve previously discussed the issues over many apps having poor security, which recently led to Facebook closing down links with hundreds of apps due to concerns.
Ultimately, people need to be careful. Not only do people need to consider who it is that’s going to be in charge of their personal information, but they also need to consider what happens if a security breach takes place.
Given the continually large volumes of incidents that are happening, it’s important to approach the subject of data breaches and encryption.
In some cases, leaks can happen due to human errors or system problems. Some hacks may take place because 100% effective defence is a hard thing to achieve. This doesn’t excuse an organisation when it comes to their responsibilities, but it’s important for them to understand that it’s about more than just trying to stop incidents; it’s also about preventing damage.
And that’s where encryption and even basic levels of protection is king.
Serious concerns have been raised over security issues that could lead to smart toy data breaches and children being at risk of contact from strangers or exposure to explicit content.
Consumer group Which? has reportedly identified serious security flaws in a number of smart toys that could lead them to being hacked or interfered with. They’re now calling on big name retailers like Amazon, Argos, John Lewis and Smyths to withdraw some “intelligent” and “connected” toys for sale this Christmas. They’re also calling on the government to introduce mandatory security standards for smart toy manufacturers.
We’ve talked in the past about the dangers of smart toys and the “Internet of Things” as greater connectivity opens more doorways for cybercriminals. In the run up to the festive season, the consumer group’s findings are set to cause justifiable concern.
The Sweaty Betty data breach incident appears to be another case of cybercriminals using malicious code in checkout systems to steal sensitive information.
We’ve literally seen this before. Two of the big recent examples are British Airways and Ticketmaster; both of which are thought to be attacks carried out by the same group of hackers. Inserting code into checkout systems can lead to personal details and payment card data being exposed and that’s exactly what has happened in the Sweaty Betty case.
Anyone who has been affected in England and Wales may be entitled to bring a claim for data breach compensation, and we can help.
As a ‘go-to’ name in the data breach compensation industry, we were asked by the I Paper to provide them with a list of Black Friday cybersecurity tips. We were more than happy to help.
As featured in the I Paper today, we have provided a list of safety tips for shoppers this Black Friday which also applies to the coming Cyber Monday. As great as deals can be for shoppers, in today’s age of cyberattacks and data exposure, consumers need to be careful.
You can read the tips in today’s print edition of the I Paper. We’ll also outline the basis of the information for you here as well under headings with some additional information.
If you or your dependent has been the victim of a college data breach, you can be entitled to bring a claim for compensation for any distress and / or financial loss that has been caused.
Most students at college will be under 18, and in these circumstances, a parent or guardian can bring the case for them as their formal ‘Litigation Friend’. We can offer the same No Win, No Fee representation we can offer for other cases, and damages can be awarded for any impact to the victim. If you’re an employee, we can help you as well.
Here’s some advice if this is an issue that has affected you or someone that you know.
Government data breaches can be incredibly serious, and when you look at why, it’s obvious. Victims of these kinds of data breaches should know their rights for justice as well, and this goes for both national and local government organisations.
I heard recently that a survey suggested that some IT bosses in the public sector consider that the data they hold is not as valuable as data in the private sector. Clearly, some of these individuals do not grasp the gravity of the extent of data that’s stored and processed by public sector organisations and would do well to consider this.
Given the nature of the data that they hold, and for how many people, any breach, leak or hack can be serious.
We’re now coming up to two months since the British Airways data class action was formalised here in the UK, but if you’re not sure exactly what it is, read on for more information.
As you may already be aware, there were two huge cyber incidents last year involving the airline. The biggest one was announced in September 2018 shortly after its discovery, and as a GDPR breach, claims for compensation for victims could go forward. We started taking cases on right away and have been accepting new claims ever since.
With there being thousands of people signed up with different law firms who are all essentially claiming on similar grounds, the BA Group Action was formed. Here’s how, and what it entails.
There has reportedly been yet another Three data breach, and the circumstances for the incident are almost the same as a previous one; which is worrying.
According to The Register earlier this month, there has been yet another case where people have been able to see the account information for other customers when using Three’s website. With the phone provider said to have around 10 million customers, any data breach they suffer could be monumental.
This isn’t the first time this exact problem has happened, and we have represented victims for Three data breaches in the past as well.
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