Victims of a university cyber-attack can be entitled to claim for data breach compensation, and we can offer No Win, No Fee representation for cases that meet our eligibility criteria.
Universities and other learning institutions can be somewhat of a target for cybercriminals. They can be targeted by foreign threat across who are seeking intelligence and research information, but they can also be a target for those who wish to hack data for ransom.
These institutions often hold a wealth of personal and sensitive data about tens of thousands of people, and victims of a data breach like this should know their rights for justice.
The impact of a university cyber-attack
The impact of a university cyber-attack on the victim can be devastating. Whether its students, lecturers or other employees whose information has been exposed, an event of this nature can cause considerable distress.
Universities will often hold data that we consider to be personal and sensitive. It can include:
- The usual personal information;
- Financial data for fees, leaving victims at risk of fraud;
- Medical data and domestic information that institutions may need to be aware of in order to meet the needs of students;
- Notes in terms of educational progress, which may also include sensitive information.
When it comes to data breach compensation pay-outs, we assess cases based on things like the nature of the data that has been compromised, such as in the list above. We also consider the direct affect it has had on the individual, as different people can be affected in different ways.
A recent university cyber-attack
One of the most recent university cyber-attack incidents involved some 4,500 students from York University, whose information was said to have been exposed in an attack.
We understand that some students suffered direct access to records, and others had their personal information reportedly downloaded.
This was labelled as a “malicious breach”, and the university confirmed that students affected by the attack would be informed. This will have undoubtedly caused distress to some of the victims given the loss of control over their information.
Compensation advice
If you need to make a data breach compensation claim as a victim of a university cyber-attack, we may be able to help you.
For free, no-obligation advice, please don’t hesitate to contact the team.
We can offer No Win, No Fee representation for cases that we take forward. With that in mind, what have you got to lose in starting a case?