Data breaches from increasing digitisation

In recent years, digital technology has become more and more integral to business operations. Many employees spend the majority of their working lives on computers, using a variety of digital applications and resources to carry out their duties. However, the dawning and development of the digital age has also brought with it a wave of new data security risks, with cyberattacks and insider vulnerabilities posing threats to personal information. Data breaches from increasing digitisation can, therefore, represent a problem for all businesses to tackle in respect of their data protection strategies.

Arguably, the Covid-19 pandemic sped up the process of digital transformation in business, pushing companies to develop new ways of working that support an increase in the number of employees clocking in from home. In the post-pandemic world, businesses look set to retain remote working to some degree, meaning that increasing digitisation will be an ongoing matter to manage.

With the risk factors brought on by the digitisation of personal data, all organisations must be doing everything they can to protect the information they hold. Where they fail to do so, they may be in breach of data protection law, and those affected may be entitled to claim compensation.

Data breaches from increasing digitisation- how are cybercriminals taking advantage of digital data records?

To some degree, data breaches from increasing digitisation are being driven by the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks. The methods and tools of cybercriminals are designed to take advantage of the fact that many businesses control and run their operations digitally.

For example, ransomware is a form of malware intended to take over digital systems, taking them out of the control of the attacked company. The importance of digital operations can be used as a bargaining tool by attackers, who recognise the costly impact of ransomware attacks. Hackers can then demand payment from their targets in return for the promise of reinstating control.

The NHS WannaCry ransomware attack of 2017 demonstrated the potential scale of such attacks and showed how ransomware can empower hackers to seize a wealth of digital information.

The role of businesses

Businesses must recognise their role in preventing data breaches from increasing digitisation. In some cases, the ease of digital communication is taken for granted by employees who neglect to uphold even basic security strategies or follow vital procedures. For example, simple oversights like sending emails to the wrong recipients or failing to password protect files can compromise the security of private information very easily.

It is vital that employers educate their employees comprehensively when it comes to data protection, setting out clear company guidelines to mitigate the risk of data breaches from increasing digitisation.

Data breach compensation claims

The risks brought on by digitisation are never an excuse for a data breach. If you have had your privacy compromised by a company that failed to protect your personal information, you could be entitled to make a data breach compensation claim.

At Your Lawyers – The Data Leak Lawyers – we have been representing clients for privacy matters since 2014, using our specialist expertise to help as many data breach victims as possible to access the compensation they deserve. We firmly believe in access to justice, which is why we can offer No Win, No Fee representation to all eligible claimants.

Claiming compensation for the loss of medical data

Healthcare data protection breaches