Tag: cyber crime

Dixons Carphone data breach fine

The Dixons Carphone data breach fine has been formally issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for the maximum amount possible under the previous rules.

The cyberattack took place between July 2017 and April 2018, meaning the Data Protection Act 1998 applies as opposed to the GDPR that came into force just a month later. As such, the maximum fine that the retailer could face was £500,000.00, which is what the ICO has issued. Had the attack have continued into the GDPR era, they could have faced fines in the hundreds of millions of pounds mark.

We’ve been representing victims of this data breach for some time now as expert data protection compensation lawyers with a wealth of experience in large consumer actions. As we know a great deal about this breach as it’s one of our live actions, we’re not surprised by the findings and the maximum fine being issued.

Travelex cyberattack leaves customers frustrated

The Travelex cyberattack has left customers frustrated as hackers have locked down their systems and are holding the company to ransom.

We’re taking legal action for the previous Travelex incident, which stemmed from a leak of customer data. As an expert consumer law firm that specialises in data breach compensation, we’ve spoken to the media about this incident and aired our concerns that we’re seeing yet another cyberattack incident taking place; this being one of many that have hit various businesses over the last few years.

This hack may lead to customer information being leaked or sold on for money, so there’s every reason for customers to be concerned; despite assurances from Travelex.

Concerns over mobile apps cybersecurity

We often see mobile apps cybersecurity issues and events in the news. As the use of apps and mobile technology continues to grow, we fear there may be more incidents to come.

And some of those incidents could lead to a great deal of data being exposed or misused for a lot of people; perhaps even millions in a single event.

As data breach compensation experts, we often deal with cybersecurity compensation claims, and many stem from apps. This includes the We-Vibe group action we’re representing victims for, which saw particularly personal and sensitive data for thousands of people misused. We can represent victims for cases on a No Win, No Fee basis, and we’re always happy to offer no-obligation advice.

The future for gaming data breaches

We have previously discussed the issues surrounding gaming data breaches, and have been asked for help and representation for cases of this nature.

The market for online gaming is massive, and data will be exchanged across the world as part of activities players are engaged in. There will be a lot of accounts that contain a great deal of personal data, and there will also be financial information stored for processing payments.

There’s also a huge “black market” for hijacked accounts as well. There are the players whose accounts they have spent time and money on being stolen, and there are those who are prepared to pay for built-up accounts. This leaves serious questions over the future of gaming and how they may be affected by data breaches.

Hospital cyber-attacks: where the victims stand

When it comes to hospital cyber-attacks, our focus is on ensuring that the victims’ voices are heard and that they have the chance for the justice that they deserve.

The threat that hospitals are facing from cybercriminals is substantial. A large volume of the individual compensation claims that we take forward are for medical data breach incidents, and many of them stem from cybersecurity events.

The 2017 WannaCry incident was perhaps one of the biggest examples that showed just how much of a target the healthcare sector really is.

Missoma data breach

The Missoma data breach has a very familiar feel to it. In fact, it feels identical to a number of previous breaches, including compensation actions we’re involved with.

Reportedly, an email sent to customers has confirmed that a data breach has taken place and that malicious software from a third-party had been used to target customers’ payment details. It appears that malicious code has been injected into the payments part of the website in order to steal data processed through it.

Although news of the breach has only just broken, the circumstances surrounding the incident appear to be exactly the same as a number of other data breaches that have taken place in recent years as well.

Concerns raised over smart toy data breaches

Serious concerns have been raised over security issues that could lead to smart toy data breaches and children being at risk of contact from strangers or exposure to explicit content.

Consumer group Which? has reportedly identified serious security flaws in a number of smart toys that could lead them to being hacked or interfered with. They’re now calling on big name retailers like Amazon, Argos, John Lewis and Smyths to withdraw some “intelligent” and “connected” toys for sale this Christmas. They’re also calling on the government to introduce mandatory security standards for smart toy manufacturers.

We’ve talked in the past about the dangers of smart toys and the “Internet of Things” as greater connectivity opens more doorways for cybercriminals. In the run up to the festive season, the consumer group’s findings are set to cause justifiable concern.

Sweaty Betty data breach

The Sweaty Betty data breach incident appears to be another case of cybercriminals using malicious code in checkout systems to steal sensitive information.

We’ve literally seen this before. Two of the big recent examples are British Airways and Ticketmaster; both of which are thought to be attacks carried out by the same group of hackers. Inserting code into checkout systems can lead to personal details and payment card data being exposed and that’s exactly what has happened in the Sweaty Betty case.

Anyone who has been affected in England and Wales may be entitled to bring a claim for data breach compensation, and we can help.

Black Friday cybersecurity

As a ‘go-to’ name in the data breach compensation industry, we were asked by the I Paper to provide them with a list of Black Friday cybersecurity tips. We were more than happy to help.

As featured in the I Paper today, we have provided a list of safety tips for shoppers this Black Friday which also applies to the coming Cyber Monday. As great as deals can be for shoppers, in today’s age of cyberattacks and data exposure, consumers need to be careful.

You can read the tips in today’s print edition of the I Paper. We’ll also outline the basis of the information for you here as well under headings with some additional information.

Fraudsters targeting first-time buyers

According to credit-reference agency Experian, there are increasing incidents of fraudsters targeting first-time buyers, and some of it can be related to data breaches.

As a firm of expert data breach compensation lawyers, this news doesn’t come as a surprise to us at all. First-time buyers can be vulnerable to the kinds of tricks and scams that criminals can pull off, particularly because of being thrown into the world of owning a home for the first time. Criminals could pose as a number of organisations or parties, and they could use information from data breaches to convince people that they’re the real deal.

This kind of problem demonstrates how bad a simple data breach can actually be for a victim when criminals use even small bits of seemingly “harmless” data that has been exposed in a breach to do serious damage.