Category: Ransomware
Blackmail from a data breach- the dangers and stresses of information exposure
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.
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.
Financial services data breach advice
Financial services data breaches are becoming bigger and bigger problems, with some research indicating that most exposed information came from financial services data breaches last year.
According to a report from the data protection company Bitglass, compiled from data by the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) and the Ponemon Institute, although the financial services industry contributed to 62% of data exposed last year, it only accounted for 6.5% of data breaches in total. This suggests that, whilst they only contribute to a small percentage of reported data breaches overall, an enormous amount of data is exposed in these breaches.
Your Lawyers (T/a The Data Leak Lawyers) is a leading firm of data breach compensation experts, and this research does not come as a surprise to us. We have pioneered data breach action since 2014 and we are passionate about fighting for justice for the victims of data breaches. We are here to help anyone that has suffered because of their sensitive information being misused or exposed in a data breach, and we offer free, no-obligation advice to victims.
University and college cyberattacks
The National Cyber Security Centre has issued an alert to education institutions over fears of increased cyber-attacks. It is predicted there will be more university and college cyberattacks this teaching year, which could be particularly harmful to students who are having to learn online this semester due to the coronavirus pandemic.
University and college cybercrimes often include a lot of ‘ransomware’ incidents where highly sensitive data is held and a ransom is demanded for payment to be issued for data to be decrypted or destroyed. Malicious software can be used to lock people out of their computer systems and cause whole organisations to grind to a halt.
As a leading, specialist data breach compensation law firm, we have years of experience in this field and we often help victims of a cyberattacks claim the compensation that they deserve. Where personal data is exposed, we can fight for the justice that victims are entitled to by law, and deserve as a victim of a breach event.
Sandicliffe car dealership data breach
It has been reported that the Sandicliffe car dealership data breach occurred earlier this year in February and could possibly affect hundreds or thousands of people.
The data breach stemmed from a cyberattack that was a result of a phishing scam and it is currently unknown exactly how many people could have been affected. Information exposed could include personal and sensitive data such as financial information and medical details.
As a leading firm of data breach compensation specialists fighting for justice for thousands of victims in over 50 group and multi-party actions, we are offering No Win, No Fee legal support for anyone affected by the cyberattack.
If you have been affected by this breach, speak to a member of our team today for free and no-obligation advice here.
Flagship Group cyberattack announced
The Flagship Group cyberattack is still causing problems for the Norwich-based housing company with many of their systems and services still offline.
According to the company, they were hit by a major cyberattack on the 1st November, which took many of their systems offline and reduced their available services. To prevent further issues worsening, Flagship Group has taken further systems down, and it is understood that some systems have now been inaccessible for the week.
The BBC says that Flagship Homes own and manage 31,000 homes in England and employ over 1,200 people in their repairs, facilities, heating and maintenance departments. The numbers in terms of anyone who may be affected by the data breach are currently unknown, but these figures could mean that a substantial volume of information is at risk of exposure.
Victims claim compensation when healthcare records are hacked
Eligible victims could claim compensation if their healthcare records are hacked. Personal information is hacked for a variety of reasons which is why we represent thousands of people for compensation claims arising from data breach events.
Medical records contain highly sensitive data that criminals can use to exploit victims or gain profit from, such as holding the information to ransom. Medical records usually contain extremely personal or valuable information, such as dates of birth, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, national insurance numbers, and even salary details on occasions, as well as names and contact information. This is on top of details about treatment and healthcare matters which are incredibly sensitive too.
It is important that people know their rights.
What can you do about passwords found on the dark web?
As growing numbers of cyberattacks plague the UK and the rest of the world, more and more people are suffering due to passwords found on the dark web.
The dark web consists of areas of the world wide web that are usually accessible with the use of specific software or authorisations. It is where hackers can sell information that has been hacked, and where criminals can go to find information to exploit.
If one or more of your passwords has been found to have been breached, what can you do about it?
Cyberattack compensation claim – No Win, No Fee
You could be eligible to pursue a cyberattack compensation claim, and our team of leading lawyers can offer No Win, No Fee representation.
We have been fighting for the rights of data privacy victims for over six years, which is far longer than most other firms that have only started looking into cases in the last couple of years. Our experience speaks for itself; representing thousands of clients and having launched over 45 group and multi-party actions. We know of no other firms that can match our years of experience and number of actions launched in the UK, which is why we are considered to be proven experts in this niche and complex area of law. As a result of this, we are a go-to name for journalists and are often featured in the media.
We think this is important to let people know about, so you can be 100% assured when you trust is to represent you for your claim for compensation. Here is how we can help you.
Cloud technology data breaches – claims for compensation
We can represent victims of cloud technology data breaches, with eligible clients being able to benefit from our No Win, No Fee legal representation.
As the world continues to become more and more digitalised and cloud-based, we expect more breaches of this nature to happen. One small security flaw could do substantial damage and lead to the information for thousands or millions being compromised, which is why this is an important matter to address.
As a leading firm of data breach compensation experts, our job is to make sure that the victims of data breaches have a voice for justice, and that organisations are held to account.