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Security experts call for faster detection of data breaches

Data breaches seem to be constantly in the news and they seem to be getting bigger, more frequent and more sophisticated.

So, can anything be done to stop them?

While there may be no definitive method to stop all data breaches completely, there are steps which can be taken to help detect them quicker. Of course, it would be preferable to prevent them from happening in the first place, but security experts like Paul White recognise that detection is an imperative part of cybersecurity as well.
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2017 sees a record high in data breaches

It’s not unusual for us to blog about the continual rise of data breaches. It’s a hot topic, and the trend is undeniably worrying.

2017 has reportedly seen a record high in data breaches, and there’s no signs of slowing down.

Cybersecurity specialists Risk Base Security conducted a mid-year report, and the results are staggering. As of June 30^th, there have been 2,227 public data breaches reported. In just six months, a whopping 6 billion records were stolen; that’s reportedly more than the number of stolen records for the whole of 2016.
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Data breaches are on the rise and statistics show it will only get worse

In the past few years, we’ve seen an unprecedented rise in data breaches and there are no signs that things are slowing down.

Statistics show that every year we see more and more data breaches, which can only make us wonder; can we ever be truly safe from a data breach?

With the number of data breaches and the staggering volume of personal information compromised with every breach, it’s probably safe to say that most of us will have some kind of information exposed at some point; and probably more than once.
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Equifax admits hacking may have exposed 145 million customers’ personal information

Consumer credit reporting agency, Equifax, has been subject to a hacking that may have led to vital information being stolen, including the following: Full names; Birth dates; Postal addresses; Social Security details; Driver’s Licence numbers.

Reuters reports that some 209,000 consumers’ credit card information may have been accessed.

This is a breach on a monumental scale, and legal action will no doubt follow the incident. This breach is all over the news, and has been deemed as “one of the largest data breaches” to have occurred.
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Data breach figures may be four times higher than reported

Security experts warn that the number of data breaches and attacks in the Channel Islands could be four times higher than official figures suggest, due to a lack of reporting.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) revealed that Jersey reported 52 cases of data protection breaches, while Guernsey reported a further 43. However, according to Business Development and Technical Director of IT security firm Logicalis, Tom Bale, these figures may only be a quarter of the real sum as not all companies and organisations report breaches to the authorities.
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U.S. appeals court split over whether victims can claim for ‘fear of damage’ from data breaches

Although this story is from the U.S., we keep a close eye on American data protection affairs as our laws can be similar, and cases and challenges can reflect on how we may see the law here.

In this big news story from the States, a recent federal appeals court in the U.S. have said that claimants can sue defendants who breach their data protection obligations for ‘fear of damage’, even if no actual damage has occurred. This can make sense, as the damage could be done at any point in the future; but this decision moves away from one Supreme Court case that said claimants needed to prove a risk of “imminent” and “concrete” injury to bring a claim.
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NHS data breach reportedly compromised personal data for hundreds of staff

The Health Service Journal has revealed that the NHS has suffered yet another data breach; this time compromising the personal data of hundreds of staff.

Information about hundreds of junior doctors was reportedly published online in error. The NHS has been plagued by so many data breaches that it doesn’t seem like such a surprise to hear about this story. The healthcare sector is a goldmine for data breaches for a range of reasons, like the value of medical records, as well as the general sensitivity of medical information as well.
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Colossal confidential data breach reportedly throws Swedish government into panic

Sweden’s government is under fire for a huge data breach that may have compromised highly sensitive information of almost all of their citizens, including the identities of military personnel.

The shocking data breach was reported by Swedish national newspaper, Dagens Nyheter. The disclosure was made when the newspaper reported that former director general of the Swedish Transport Agency, Maria Agren, was reportedly fired at the beginning of the year for mishandling sensitive information, and fined $8,500 failing to follow data protection laws.

The head of IT at the agency shamefully admitted that “the keys to the kingdom” had been given away.
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Data breaches in the U.K. retail sector doubled in one year

Data breaches are continually increasing at an alarming rate, and U.K. retailers are a prime cause for data breaches and leaks.

Statistics show that in 2014/15, U.K. retailers reported 17 data breaches. The next year, it increased to 19. However, 2016/17 has seen a sudden spike of 38 reported data breaches, with no signs of slowing down.

These data breaches aren’t just malicious hackers attacking databases, but also include employees accidentally leaking or losing information.
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43% of retailers “have experienced a data breach in the past year” according to Thales Data Threat Report

Thales e-Security have published a report on data breaches for businesses and organisations, and the findings are a cause for concern.

According to the research, 43% of retailers have suffered a data breach in the past 12 months.

Just think about how many purchases you have made in the past year; now imagine almost half of those companies has suffered a data breach in the past year alone. This is a worrying issue, and it’s one that can affect us all.
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