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.
Despite looking up private police records without authorisation, a Detective Sergeant has recently evaded dismissal following a misconduct hearing. In the Northamptonshire detective data breach case, the Detective Sergeant reportedly looked up the details of a woman with whom he was engaging in an extra-marital relationship with at the time, who was involved in a case he was working on.
His actions reportedly amounted to misconduct, so the Northamptonshire Police appear to be sending mixed messages by not taking the matter any further. The police can, and often do, dismiss officers for similar offences, but this officer’s acceptance of the accusations against him, and his standing in the force, seem to have allowed him to avoid further consequences.
Police data breaches like this should be treated with the severity that they merit, taking account of the potential damage such actions can cause. Police services cannot afford to let employees off lightly for breaching data access regulations, as doing so could risk compromising the force’s reputation and its overall data security and integrity.
NHS CCTV cameras have reportedly been embroiled in a hack affecting security footage across the globe, after security company Verkada is understood to have been breached by hackers. It is said that live streams for as many as 150,000 Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras may have been viewed by unauthorised users.
Serving organisations include prisons, general businesses, schools and even psychiatric hospitals. The breach of Verkada’s cameras may have exposed the identities of many people working in, living in, or visiting affected institutions.
It is unclear exactly which feeds hackers may have viewed and what they gleaned from the footage, but it is nevertheless worrying to learn that a security firm has been subjected to such a wide-reaching breach. There is currently no evidence that any NHS camera feeds were viewed by hackers, but Verkada lists the NHS as one of its clients on the company website. Hackers have also claimed that they have been able to access the cameras of any of the affected organisations.
A woman has recently reported receiving the coronavirus test result of another unknown woman, reportedly sent in a text message by the NHS. Not only did the text reveal the negative test status of the unknown woman, it is understood that it also listed her full name, birth date and the result of her test. The recipient of the message has expressed concern that such a data breach was allowed to occur, particularly given that she took a coronavirus test in early January.
Concerns about data privacy have been linked to the Test and Trace system since its beginnings, with several data breach incidents linked to the scheme, including a major error by Public Health Wales. It is concerning that data privacy has fallen short on occasions in the effort to control the Covid-19 outbreak, especially given that mistakes such as misdirected texts can be so easily avoided.
The Test and Trace system may be designed to protect public health, but that does not mean data breaches like this can go unnoticed.
Many of us disclose personal information so often that we don’t even think about it, trusting that the third party that we are handing our information to will protect it securely. Unfortunately, despite the introduction of the GDPR in 2018, many data controllers still break their legal obligations to keep private data safe. The repercussions of a data breach can be serious, with the confidential information exposed becoming subject to misuse.
As specialists in data breach claims, we have seen the consequences that victims can face, which is why we are always determined to hold companies who have exposed data accountable for their actions. We always try to make sure that compensation claims bring no added stress to the victims, so we encourage you to come forward for no-obligation advice if you think you may have a claim to make.
Although no formal incident has occurred, statements made by ex-employees have given rise to Amazon data breach concerns. Describing the attitudes to personal data, one of the former employees, who previously held high-profile positions, reportedly noted that Amazon is unaware if it is protecting information correctly. The coverage suggested that Amazon does not have a handle on the huge quantities of data it has aggregated, which is a worrying thought given the company’s status as one of the largest businesses in the world.
The insider perspectives provide no confirmation of breaches of data protection law, but it is nevertheless worrying to think that the concerns of security experts were reportedly dismissed during time spent at Amazon. As a leading international e-commerce company, million of users visit Amazon sites all the time.
Holding millions of customers’ information, the data protection responsibilities of Amazon are monumental. As such, if a breach were to occur, the effects could be devastating. As leading specialists in data breach claims, we want to see that all companies are taking their duties seriously, as we know how serious the repercussions can be for victims who have their information exposed.
In late February, it was revealed that some customers of energy company Npower had suffered hacks of their accounts via the customer app that affected its users’ private data. The company has not put a number on the victims affected, but it is believed that the attack took place in early February, after which those affected were notified of their involvement. It is currently understood that Npower is not to blame for the hack, with no evidence that the company has breached data protection law. We will outline how the hacks happened in this article. Nevertheless, those with hacked Npower accounts are at immediate risk of fraud, with criminals targeting accounts to try to break into them as opposed to successfully breaking into Npower’s own servers and systems.
As advocates of data security, we believe it is important to highlight the risks Npower app users have been exposed to, even where the company is found to not be at fault for what has happened. Even if you have not been affected by the cyberattack, it still offers a valuable lesson about the risks of data exposure and the actions we can take as individuals to protect our personal data, and how criminals can target accounts to break into them.
Despite the introduction of the GDPR in 2018, many data controllers still neglect their duties, and personal data continues to be exposed. It is important to hold companies accountable for data protection breaches and compensation claims can help to ensure that the responsible parties suffer repercussions for their actions.
Moreover, victims of data protection breaches deserve to be fairly compensated for any harm they have suffered, as it can be incredibly worrying and stressful to have your data exposed to potential misuse. Your Lawyers – The Data Leak Lawyers – as leading, specialists in data breach claims, use our expertise to ensure our clients can receive the most compensation possible.
Despite the growing threat of cybercrime, many people are still unaware of the risks posed to their personal data, and the damage that can be done when they fail to take action following a data breach. Many people may be familiar with the typical data breach notification emails that companies send out to affected victims, but some may not quite register how serious a data breach can be for the victims.
Your Lawyers – The Data Leak Lawyers – as leading specialists in data breach law, want to make sure that everyone knows their rights in the wake of a data breach, and is aware of how to avoid any consequent risks. We know that it can be hard to navigate the stressful aftermath period, particularly when the company at fault is seeking to escape all blame for the breach. As such, we want to offer people a simple guide to the steps you can take after a data breach.
The cyber threats to local governments has been present for a number of years, but the current coronavirus crisis has also presented a new opportunity for cybercriminals. As the external threat posed by hackers shows no sign of abetting, it is up to the councils themselves to take action to prevent local government cyberattacks.
With a number of extremely costly data breaches hitting local councils in 2020, local government organisations have been alerted to the risk posed by deficient cybersecurity. Unfortunately, the victims of council data breaches were already all too aware of the consequences of data exposure. We have supported victims in relation to council data breaches many times, and we believe that there is still much to be done to improve local government cybersecurity.
If you have been affected by a data breach of any kind, you may be able to claim compensation for the harm caused. Contact us today to receive free, no-obligation advice on your potential claim.
In May last year, the news of the EasyJet cyberattack hit the headlines when the airline publicly admitted that the data of nine million customers had been hacked. Although the attack was first identified as early as January, some customers did not hear about their involvement in the breach until May.
Now, just over a year since the news of the incident broke, we continue to take on claims for those affected by the cyberattack. If easyJet is found to responsible for the exposure of their customers’ data, the company could be liable to pay out thousands of pounds in compensation to the victims.
As a leading firm of data breach and consumer actions lawyers, Your Lawyers- The Data Leak Lawyers – is leading a number of high-profile group actions against large companies, including travel companies like Marriott and British Airways. We have been representing clients for privacy matters since 2014, so we have the expertise needed to bring your data breach claim to fruition. Anyone affected by the easyJet cyberattack can contact us today to start their claim.
EasyJet admits data of nine million hacked
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