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.
An employee error has recently brought about the Now: Pensions data breach, leading to the online exposure of customers’ personal details.
Now: Pensions, one of the UK’s largest pension providers, was involved in a breach of data protection duties through this leak. The result of the incident left the names, dates of birth, home addresses, and National Insurance numbers of trusting customers vulnerable to misuse.
The firm has accounted for the breach by explaining that a contractor from an external partner inadvertently uploaded the data to a public forum. Although the data was only public for a brief period of time and was removed as soon as the error was identified, the idea that the company’s procedures and systems could not protect against such a mistake is worrying.
A recent leak of patient data has called into question the data protection practices of Lloyds Pharmacy. A parcel containing the prescription records of hundreds of Lloyds pharmacy patients is believed to have been intended for an NHS recipient, but mistakenly reached a personal home 300 miles away instead.
When the unintended recipient opened the box, she was shocked at the mass of details she found, assuming they were intended for the NHS prescription services in Bolton.
While Lloyds Pharmacy has placed the blame on an external courier service who mistakenly delivered the parcel, they may not be able to sidestep their ultimate responsibility for the control and handling of their own data in accordance with the GDPR. The incident undoubtedly highlights the risks organisations take when entrusting an external party with the safety of confidential records.
In a workplace data breach, the exposure of employee information can be devastating for the reputation of the company and its overall operations.
But the personal impact on staff members can be the most harmful effect, and this is the element that we focus on.
If you have been the victim of a data breach in your workplace, Your Lawyers is here to support you in the face of the errors or neglect of your employer. In the event that your information has been processed incorrectly or insufficiently protected, you could be eligible to claim compensation for any harm caused to you.
According to recent media reports, a large number of psychotherapy patients, who belong to the same large clinic in Finland, found themselves on the receiving end of blackmail from a data breach.
Vastaamo, a countrywide practice, appears to have been targeted in two separate breaches, one potentially occurring in March 2019, and an initial attack as far back as November 2018. It appears that victims’ personal data was stolen from the company’s data storage system.
Although this is not a case we can represent people for, with it not being in England or Wales, it is an important one to consider. Ultimately, the risks – as we often advise – when it comes to this kind of data breach can be severe.
A recent meeting of local councillors has reportedly highlighted data security problems that could put the Lichfield District Council in breach of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The issue surrounds the reported continued use of unencrypted laptops and was raised by Cllr Joanne Grange, who is understood to have expressed concerns that the problems had still not been addressed three years after they were identified in 2017.
It is understood that Cllr Grange suggested that the failure to update working practices in accordance with data protection regulations could be tantamount to “negligence”. Her statements have undoubtedly highlighted some key problems which the council should feel obliged to address as a matter of urgency.
There is still time to make a claim in the Well Pharmacy data breach action.
In 2018, Well Pharmacy, a major pharmacy chain, was responsible for leaking the details of over 24,000 staff and locum workers, after the data was accidentally included in an email.
Since the breach, The Data Leak Lawyers has been working hard to take on claims for affected employees ever since we launched legal action in early 2019. We have been working on the action for just over two years now, and our door is still open to any claimants who have yet to come forward.
In the case of the recent Transform Hospital Group data breach, the large cosmetic surgery chain has been targeted by hackers who seem to be aiming to extort money from the company.
The group has not yet given a number for how many customers have been affected, but the data exposed is reported to be extensive. The inclusion of ‘before and after’ surgery photos has been a cause of particular concern among the victims, who fear they may be published on the internet.
For anyone involved in a data leak, the impact of having your information exposed can be devastating. In some of the worst of cases, the privacy of the information exposed can make the aftermath a deeply upsetting time. We have already taken on clients who have been affected by the Transform Hospital Group data breach, so do not hesitate to contact us if you would like advice regarding your potential compensation claim.
A medical data breach is often serious as our medical data often represents the most personal information that we will ever entrust to a third party.
The faith we invest in medical professionals to protect this data is indicative of our confidence in their ability to care, and in the health service more generally.
However, this trust is at risk of being eroded due to the succession of medical data breaches that we have encountered, either first-hand or in the headlines, in recent years. When such breaches occur, the exposed information can be highly sensitive and, depending on the affected individual’s circumstances, can dramatically affect their mental state and/or their relationships. It is vital that the confidential doctor-patient relationship at the heart of the NHS is not damaged by a failure to prevent these exposures.
A recent data leak from a community organisation has reportedly exposed the personal information of highly vulnerable domestic violence victim.
Moving On is a Rochdale-based support service that seeks to help adults with acquired disabilities and provide a safe space for them to work through their difficulties. However, a series of errors reportedly led to the personal data of a former domestic violence victim being sent to a third party and posted online.
The victims in question is understood to have been left ‘terrified’ following the incident, worrying who their personal information may have reached. Rochdale council is investigating the leak to find the cause of the error, but it has already been established that council officials were apparently responsible for sending a letter that unintentionally shared the victim’s details with a third party.
With the festive season now over, a recent survey reported that two-thirds of shoppers were worried about holiday data breaches that may have ensued as huge numbers of customers flocked to online stores to make their Christmas purchases.
It seems that the coronavirus pandemic has prompted consumers to shop via online stores in their droves; even those who have previously avoided online shopping due to cybersecurity fears have had to turn to retail websites, despite their concerns about entering their credit card details to make an online payment.
While shopping trends have been evolving for several years, and many high street stores are gradually declining, the coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly increased the growth of online shopping. It is, therefore, unsurprising that fears of online data breaches have heightened as Christmas approaches.
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