Welcome To The Data Leak Lawyers Blog
We focus on the latest news surrounding data breaches, leaks and hacks plus daily internet security articles.
We focus on the latest news surrounding data breaches, leaks and hacks plus daily internet security articles.
Public sector hacks remain one of the more worrying aspects of worldwide data protection issues, and we can tell you from experience that these woes apply here in the UK.
We say this a lot, but the simple fact of the matter is that it’s a worrying truth. One of the most common types of compensation claims we deal with here at the Data Leak Lawyers involve public sector organisations. The most common are medical data breach claims and council data protection cases.
Yet again, we’re hearing the experts voice their concerns when it comes to public sector data protection problems, and it’s important for people to know what to do when their information it misused or exposed.
Official records from NHS Digital reportedly show an alarming number of NHS email cyber-attacks, with the healthcare service said to have been hit by over 11 million in the last three years.
The data for the number of attacks that were successfully blocked was at a staggering 11,352,000 in the last three years. Although we can be positive about the fact that these attacks are those that were successfully stopped, the figures show the significant number of attacks that are taking place, and how much of a target the public healthcare system is.
The NHS was one of the worst-hit victims of the 2017 WannaCry incident as well. With them being such a target, what can be done when successful cyber-attacks take place?
We represent people for police-related data incidents, and with this in mind, here’s a number of reasons as to why the recent Eurofins data breach is a worrying one.
In case you’ve not heard of this one, this relates to an organisation that the police outsource forensic work to. Eurofins reportedly process more than 70,000 cases per year, and deal with DNA analysis, toxicology, ballistics and computer forensics. As such, they can be at the heart of investigations into serious crimes, including murder, sexual offences and terrorism.
Worryingly, they were recently hit by a ransomware attack. This has led to a number of concerns about the security and quality of the work they carry out, and has caused significant disruption to police investigations.
There can be huge risks when it comes to online streaming data breach incidents, with research showing that they’re one of the biggest targets for cybercriminals.
And it makes sense as to why they’re a huge target as well. Not only could they gain financial information from your account, but they could also use your account for pirating as well.
Online streaming is growing and growing in popularity, so there’s no way that it will be left behind when it comes to targets for cybercriminals and hackers. It can be so easy for accounts to be breached, so you need to make sure to do all you can to protect yourself. And know your rights when it’s not your fault!
Data suggests that there’s been a rise of funds transfer fraud (FTF) in the UK, and with real-time and faster payment processes commonplace these days, we’re not surprised.
Incidents of funds transfer fraud can be linked with data breaches as well. Whether it’s a bank or financial institution that’s hacked – the Tesco data breach being one example – or a scam that’s linked to a data breach, we have to ask the question: what more could have been done, and who’s responsible?
It can only take a little bit of information in the wrong hands to do some serious damage. People have fallen victim to scams that are directly related to big data breach incidents. A rise in FTF is a concern.
The (PFEW) Police Federation of England and Wales data breach incidents were announced earlier this month, and they’re potentially huge. The PFEW cyber attacks may have affected 120,000 police employees.
Although PFEW say that they don’t believe any information was exposed, they cannot rule it out. For the potential victims of the breaches, this isn’t helpful. It’s hard enough these days being on the police force with constant cuts and under-staffing.
This kind of added stress in the current environment of policing isn’t helpful at all.
Are we in the midst of a rise in gaming data breach incidents? As more and more games are now full of consumables, we know hackers are targeting the gaming industry.
We recently wrote about the Fortnite hackers who have been reportedly making a mint off the back of stealing other people’s accounts and selling them on. Teenagers are being recruited to get involved in mass hacking jobs that appear relatively easy to carry out.
When you consider that the gaming industry is now an even more lucrative market as a result of consumables like loot boxes and other in-game purchases, digital property can be an attractive and profitable target.
It’s understood there have been cases of Equifax data breach fraud committed, perhaps, as a direct result of the breach itself.
Tech company, Forte, produced some stats that indicate some alarming figures in the wake of the Equifax data breach. The data can be interpreted as a possible spike in some fraud incidents after the Equifax data breach took place, which wouldn’t surprise us given the scale and nature of this monumental attack.
It’s another sign that we ought to be far more concerned with regards to data breaches than many people are.
The apparent Superdrug data breach has led to as many as 20,000 victims being held to ransom as hackers threaten to release information reportedly stolen in the breach.
Superdrug say they were contacted last week by hackers threatening to expose the personal data of customers affected by a breach. Hundreds of accounts appear to have been compromised so far as hackers have reportedly been able to verify the data they hold.
It’s assumed that a ransom is being demanded, although the details of any payment demands have not been made clear.
Ransomware attacks are still on the rise, and we all have every reason to be very worried about the increasing trends we’re seeing.
According to at least one piece of recent research, 2018 has already seen double the rate of ransomware attacks so far, but what’s equally as concerning is that the attacks are changing tact to go for bigger targets to demand higher ransoms, and the hackers are enjoying success.
It’s a sign of the times, and we all need to be very careful to make sure we protect ourselves from the growing risks of ransomware attacks.
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Virgin Media faces £4.5 BILLION in compensation payouts
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Shoppers slam Morrisons after loyalty points stolen
Half a million customers can sue BA over huge data breach
Lawyers accuse BA of 'swerving responsibility' for data breach
The biggest data breaches of 2020
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