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5 data breach trends that may grow in 2017

Data breaches have been on a general upward trend since the huge growth of technological devices.

As we continue developing the digital era – where the use of technology is seen as the norm – data breaches are also becoming the norm too.

Data breaches have affected companies of all sizes due to the increasing reliance on digital data and using technological devices for convenience. With confidential and sensitive data stored on machines or cloud connections, it’s become easier to breach data through breaking in to networks.
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Most data breaches happen because of missed oversight or exploited vulnerabilities

Whenever we hear about huge data breach scandals like the recent Yahoo fiasco or the TalkTalk hacking, we think “how could this happen to such a large company?”

With large businesses and companies, one would expect them to be big and grand in all areas, including cybersecurity. In a shopping centre, you’d think the bigger the shop or the more expensive the items they sell would mean their security is stronger. However, realistically, these data breaches still happen to large companies because they don’t always prioritise their security.
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Whistle-blowers reveal Indian call centre scammers targeting TalkTalk customers following massive data breach

Several whistle-blowers have come forward to disclose details of an alleged intricate scamming operation set up in India to target TalkTalk customers.

The unnamed whistle-blowers told a BBC reporter that they were employed by a gang of professional fraudsters to trick TalkTalk customers into revealing personal information and provide access to their bank accounts.
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Sports Direct yet again under fire after reportedly hiding a data breach that compromised 30,000 employees’ personal data.

Information authorities and security experts are reportedly appalled by the way Sports Direct handled a data breach that happened back in September of last year. Apparently, they never actually told their employees about it; leaving them to find out on the news!
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November of 2016 saw the largest number of data breach incidents

2016 was a big year for changes.

From Brexit and Trump, to a wave of celebrity legends departing our lives, 2016 was one heck of a bumpy road; and we saw some of the most notable data breaches in history around the world. With the online world ever advancing, we can’t seem to keep up. Cyber hackers have been constantly coming up with new methods to break down security walls to wreak havoc and fear, and leaks are almost becoming a norm.
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Hundreds of NHS patients may have suffered serious harm from 500,000 data breaches

Although we value and treasure our National Health Service – who for the most part do a wonderful job of looking after us – they are responsible for significant amounts of data breaches. In fact, they’re way ahead when compared to everyone else, and it’s a real issue because the information they secure for us is often very sensitive and personal.

Unfortunately, we have to report yet another serious data breach story involving the NHS.

It has been revealed that the NHS has lost more than 500,000 pieces of patient information between 2011 and 2016. This may have led to hundreds of NHS patients suffering serious harm as a result.
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Trio of data thieves have been prosecuted and fined over £400,000

A gang of three data thieves were charged and prosecuted by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) earlier this year for unlawfully obtaining personal data at their employment, and then selling it onto claim management companies.

Andrew Minty, Jamie Leong and Michelle Craddock – all employees of Enterprise-Rent-A-Car – conspired to steal customer information so they could sell on the personal information to third party claims management companies. They sold the information on the basis that the claims management company would then use the personal data and information to make nuisance calls to the individuals.
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Many United States Special Operations Command staff had their personal information leaked in an admin error.

Around 11 GB of personal data belonging to US Special Operations Command Staff was accidentally leaked by an admin error recently.

The names, locations, salaries and the US version of National Insurance numbers were leaked in this embarrassing mistake that could literally be a serious issue of national security.
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Tens of millions of pounds of investment portfolios were revealed in the Ameriprise data leak

Not all data breaches stem from hacking; sometimes it just leaks out.

An employee working at financial planning giant Ameriprise unintentionally exposed personal information of customers, which included hundreds of investment portfolios worth tens of millions of pounds.

So you can say this is a big leak.
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Police involved after a sensitive data leak occurred at Isle of Man’s Department of Health and Social Care

Recently, the self-governed state of the Isle of Man reported that one of their government departments had been subject to a sensitive data leak.

A recording device was stolen from a secured room at the Department of Health and Social Care. The recording device was used to record sensitive meetings with children and families. The department have said that the recording was not often used and only ever done at the request of the service user.
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