Tag: cyber crime

Dangers of the Quora data breach

The dangers of the Quora data breach cannot be understated, especially when the incident reportedly affected up to 100m users!

Just yesterday we wrote about the issue of reusing passwords and user credentials across multiple sites. Doing so can put you at far greater risks than you may even realise. One of the key things it means is that your credentials breached in an attack could be used to break into other platforms you use. Facebook is a prime example with billions of users and a feature that lets you log into other platforms using your Facebook credentials.

On that basis, the dangers of an incident like this Quora one simply cannot be understated.

The risks of reusing passwords

Thousands of people have contacted us for help with data breach claims. Victims can be entitled to make a claim for compensation. The risks of reusing passwords is one of the first things people may need to consider.

The advice is to never reuse the same passwords and user credentials across different platforms. Despite this, people still do it. It means that being the victim of one simple breach could lead to several accounts being accessed. In fact, it could even mean those credentials are used to hack into a business you are employed with.

There’s a great deal that many people may not consider when it comes to reusing passwords and usernames. The mindset needs to change!

Coffee Meets Bagel data breach revealed on Valentine’s Day

The Coffee Meets Bagel data breach was unfortunately revealed on Valentine’s Day. I.e. a dating app revealed a breach on the day of love and romance…

With the data breach reportedly having happened on 11^th February 2019, I suppose its just a case of bad timing that notifications ended up being on Valentine’s Day. Either way, the American-based dating service that is used in the UK has suffered a breach.

This isn’t the first dating website that has been targeted for a data breach. We doubt it will be the last as well.

Huge 500px data breach

There’s been another huge security incident announced. This time it’s the 500px data breach that may have affected all 15 million of its worldwide users.

The Canada-based online photography networking platform (that also has an app) is understood to have identified security issue last year. However, it’s taken some six months for the organisation to discover that they’ve been breached.

The length of time that’s passed is particularly worrying. It means that victims of the 500px data breach may have already been targeted by criminals. Victims may have had no idea that their data had been exposed given that news of the breach has only just hit the headlines.

Is your phone recording you?

Posted by Matthew on February 28, 2019 in the following categories: Cybersecurity Hacking News Mobile Data Scammers Security and tagged with apps | cyber crime | cybersecurity | online security | personal data

The typical answer as to the popular question “is your phone recording you?” is often “no”, according to many. However, you may not be aware that some things can be recorded, and you may not be aware of it.

According to a recent investigation by TechCrunch and The App Analyst, some popular apps may be recording user data without proper – or more explicit – permission or understanding. The investigation reportedly looked at a range of apps and found ways in which the companies or the developers could record and store data they may not have permission for.

That’s worrying; especially in the era of continual breaches linked to apps, and ongoing concerns as to how much the likes of Siri or Alexa are taking in when they’re waiting for our commands…

Deliveroo data breach incident reported to ICO

A Deliveroo data breach “incident” is said to have been reported to the ICO who have confirmed that they’re making inquiries.

Back in 2016, the food delivery company faced scrutiny after customers complained of fraudulent transactions on their accounts. In some cases, it appeared the issues were down to people’s credentials being stolen in hacks completely separate to Deliveroo. Criminals had used stolen credentials to access accounts in cases where credentials were reused.

Deliveroo were subsequently criticised over what some customers felt was a failure to spot and stop fraudulent transactions. In this latest incident, it appears that history may be repeating itself.

OkCupid data breach denied as “bug” found

Posted by Matthew on February 19, 2019 in the following categories: Cybersecurity Data Hacking News Scammers Security Social Networking and tagged with apps | cyber crime | cybersecurity | online security | personal data

News of an OkCupid data breach has been denied by the company, although a “bug” has reportedly been found by a security firm anyway.

Some users reportedly complained of their accounts being hacked and taken over. As a result of a lack of additional security, like two-factor authentication – a lack of security apparently common in the dating site industry – some users were successfully targeted by criminals.

However, OkCupid denies that a security breach has taken place. That being said, a “bug” was reportedly identified by security researchers and has apparently been fixed.

The rise of the gaming data breach

Are we in the midst of a rise in gaming data breach incidents? As more and more games are now full of consumables, we know hackers are targeting the gaming industry.

We recently wrote about the Fortnite hackers who have been reportedly making a mint off the back of stealing other people’s accounts and selling them on. Teenagers are being recruited to get involved in mass hacking jobs that appear relatively easy to carry out.

When you consider that the gaming industry is now an even more lucrative market as a result of consumables like loot boxes and other in-game purchases, digital property can be an attractive and profitable target.

Scams arising from the TV licensing data breach

Posted by Matthew on January 23, 2019 in the following categories: Claims Cybersecurity Hacking News Scammers and tagged with cyber attack | cyber crime | cybersecurity | online security | phishing scams

Victims of last year’s TV licensing data breach need to take care to avoid falling victim to phishing scams that are doing the rounds at the moment.

Victims of the TalkTalk data breach – one of the over 20 data breach actions we’re representing people in – were contacted after the breach. It appears that scammers had got hold of information that had been exposed in the breach. Victims of the TV licensing data breach should be wary of being contacted in the same way.

We know that phishing scams using the cover of TV licensing are doing the rounds. One victim lost £10,000.00 to scammers after they managed to convince him they were the real thing.

Collection #1 data breach shows how vulnerable people are

The monumental Collection #1 data breach that hit the headlines last week shows just how vulnerable people are to data breaches.

The incident, known as the Collection #1 breach, involved what many say is the biggest ever dump of hacked information on the internet. Hundreds of millions of email addresses and passwords that are thought to have been taken from a number of different hacks were published online. Criminals may have been using the information to break into people’s accounts for years.

The sheer volume of the Collection #1 data is a stark reminder as to just how vulnerable people are nowadays.