The dangers of ignoring cyberattacks

In the case of cyberattacks, many organisations follow appropriate reporting procedures, such as notifying the Information Commissioner’s Office of the breach. There is also the need for alerting affected customers, members, or employees of their involvement in a data security incident too. However, many firms may be ignoring cyberattacks and their after-effects, putting those affected in an unacceptable degree of danger, sometimes to preserve their own interests.

At Your Lawyers – The Data Leak Lawyers – as a leading data breach claims firm, we believe cyberattacks are like any other crime and should be reported and dealt with accordingly. Unfortunately, too many organisations view cybersecurity and data protections as luxury additions to their operations, disregarding the dangers they are putting people in.

If you have been affected by a data breach and believe the responsible party is not taking it seriously enough, you may be entitled to claim compensation. It is bad enough to have your data exposed, but to witness dangerous inaction from the organisation involved can only add insult to injury.

Ignoring cyberattacks – the consequences

Due to the wealth of customer and employee data that organisations hold, many modern businesses are prime targets for cyberattacks. The attacks can come in small hits, including phishing emails aiming to trick recipients into handing over private data, or in bulk messages sending malicious links.

Large-scale attacks often occur through ransomware, which is becoming increasingly common as a method of harvesting information.

Even if a company deals effectively with the immediate repercussions of a cyberattack, if they do not feel they will be punished for it, they may let their data protection methods slide again, leaving cybersecurity vulnerabilities uncorrected. For example, companies may fail to educate employees on risk management, or they may fail to thoroughly investigate a vulnerability that caused, or could cause, a breach. They may also fail to introduce new cybersecurity measures to combat future events.

As a consequence, cyberattacks may happen again, as the existing weaknesses may not have been remedied. Moreover, those who suffered information exposure may feel betrayed and endangered, as their data could still be at risk

The GDPR and data protection negligence

Ignoring cyberattacks can also mean denying responsibility. In many breaches that involve an external attack, some companies may believe that they are getting away with it when shifting the blame entirely onto the cybercriminals, in the hopes of lessening the financial and reputational cost.

However, it is important to remember that you have a right to claim for a data breach even if it was caused by a cyberattack. The GDPR can entitle you to claim compensation if a third-party organisation has failed to protect your information from cyberattacks. In fact, legal action can help to stop companies from ignoring cyberattacks, forcing them to face up to their problems and take action accordingly.

Claiming for a data breach

It is simply unacceptable for organisations to be ignoring cyberattacks with the data protection laws we have in place today. At Your Lawyers – The Data Leak Lawyers – we help our clients to assert their legal rights, using the GDPR to ensure that they are compensated for the distress and losses caused by a cyberattack.

We believe compensation pay-outs can show organisations the true cost of ignoring their responsibilities. Contact us today for free advice if you think you may have a claim to make.

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