Category: Data
Lichfield District Council and data protection negligence
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.
Well Pharmacy data breach action- still open for claimants
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.
The Transform Hospital Group data breach
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.
Medical data breach and the exposure of private patient information
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.
Christmas shoppers concerned about holiday data breaches
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.
HaveIBeenPwned and increase in hacks and incidents
The HaveIBeenPwned platform watches for breaches and can be used to check email addresses to see if an account linked to that email has been compromised in a data breach.
Over the last few months, HaveIBeenPwned has reported huge numbers of data breaches involving millions of records. This can highlight just how frequently these serious breaches are taking place, which is bad for us all.
Data breaches are becoming an increasing threat in society, particularly with the way 2020 evolved with a huge increase in people working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic. Your Lawyers (T/a The Data Leak Lawyers) are experts in the field of data breach law as a leading firm of compensation experts, and we are always keen to help victims of data breaches and fight for the justice that they deserve. We have helped thousands of victims claim millions in damages, and we may be able to help you too.
Stone Refurb data breach
The Stone Refurb data breach involves the Staffordshire-based IT company formally known as Encore PC.
They suffered a data breach in 2020 after reportedly being targeted by a cyberattack. Staffordshire police are understood to be investigating the cyberattack and they have urged anyone with information to contact them.
If you have been affected by a data breach where your personal details have been exposed, you could be eligible to make a claim for compensation with us today. We are a leading firm of data breach lawyers with years of experience representing victims for data breach claims. To talk to our team of experts today, see our contact page here for more information.
2020: another year of data breaches
2020 has been yet another year of data breaches, resulting in our leading team of lawyers here taking on many new cases and launching several new actions.
We had hoped that the introduction of the GDPR in 2018 would lead to serious improvements and that we would see far fewer breaches, leaks and hacks. Sadly, this has not been the case and, if anything, the volume of breaches continues to grow.
What has not helped us in 2020 is, of course, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The increased reliance on the use of technology to be able to work and live has resulted in an increase in cyberattacks, and hackers have done their best to exploit the situation. When it comes to 2021, we expect the current trends to continue.
Data protection laws and what you can claim for
Data protection laws are designed to do exactly what they say – they are in place to protect your personal data from being exposed and/or misused.
In today’s digital age, it has become harder and harder to keep track of your personal information and data. When we create online accounts or do our online shopping, we are trusting that business or organisation to have the correct security measures in place to protect our sensitive data, and we trust that they are abiding by important data protection laws.
Your Lawyers (T/a The Data Leak Lawyers) is a leading specialist data breach law firm. We have pioneered data breach action since 2014 and we are passionate about fighting for the rights of victims of data breaches. We know the importance of holding organisations to account when it comes to data protection and we know the damage data breaches can have on individuals when it is exposed or misused.
The seriousness of social services data breaches
Social services data breaches can be extremely serious. Social services hold information on vulnerable children and their parents, and their job is to protect this information and safeguard the welfare of vulnerable children.
As such, data breaches of this nature can be extremely serious and can put vulnerable people at risk.
Your Lawyers (T/a The Data Leak Lawyers) are highly experienced in the complex area of data breach law as a leading firm in the UK, and we have been representing clients in privacy matters as far back as 2014. We are currently representing victims across dozens of multi-party and group action claims, and our expert team is ready to help you if you have been affected by a data breach; particularly any social services data breaches.