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.
We are taking forward claims for data breach compensation for victims of the recently publicised Guntrader hack that has resulted in the personal information of UK gun owners being exposed.
The Guntrader cyberattack is understood to impact as many as 100,000 records and could expose the details of UK gun owners who have used the website Guntrader.co.uk. The company is understood to have learned of the incident on 19th July 2021, and the matter has been referred to the UK’s data regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Your Lawyers – as leading data leak compensation experts – can represent eligible victims of the Guntrader data breach on a No Win, No Fee basis. You can speak to the team here now for free, no-obligation advice.
A report by The Register has revealed that text messages sent by council agents en masse to UK taxpayers may have been exposing their personal data to unrestricted access. The external agency Telsolutions Ltd reportedly developed the SMS system for the purposes of chasing debts, but allegedly failed to impose basic security measures. This has apparently made it easy for users to manipulate the links sent in the text messages. This example of a council debt chasing data breach could, therefore, be a sign of a fundamentally inadequate approach to data protection.
It is unclear if anyone took advantage of the security loophole, and if so, how many people chose to do so. Nevertheless, its existence can be enough to cause concern for anyone contacted by local councils in this manner, particularly given the vulnerable situations some alleged tax defaulters may be in.
Your Lawyers, as specialists in data protection law, is disappointed to hear that a number of councils may have again failed to take the precautions necessary to protect their residents’ private information. We help data breach victims to claim compensation for the harm caused, so you can contact us for advice if you think you may have a claim to make.
Healthcare organisations hold a vast array of different data about their patients, most of which is highly private and sensitive. Confidential medical information should be safeguarded by the principle of doctor-patient confidentiality, as well as by strong data protection measures. Unfortunately, the number of cybercriminals targeting medical data appears to be on the rise around the globe.
With medical information a prime target, it is important that all healthcare organisations ensure that their systems are secure, and that employees abide by strict data protection procedures. However, in too many cases, there appears to be holes in the defences that put patient data at risk.
Any patient that has been made vulnerable to data misuse by the errors of a healthcare organisation may be able to claim compensation for the harm caused. If you think that you may have a claim to make, you can contact us for free, no-obligation advice on your potential compensation claim.
The police have unique rights when it comes to processing and viewing personal information, but that does not mean that there are no limits governing their access to private data. In fact, because they have important legal responsibilities, and the data they can access is so sensitive, it is even more vital that they follow strict data protection rules. Misusing police computers can, therefore, be a serious offence.
We naturally trust the police to keep personal information secure by means of technical cybersecurity measures. Just as importantly, we expect it to be protected in accordance with their assumed integrity and professional standards. When a police officer breaches this duty, the effects can be devastating for those affected, particularly for crime victims in cases where the exposed information relates to a sensitive and traumatic incident.
If you have been affected by a police data breach, you may be entitled to claim compensation for the harm caused. No police officer should be exempt from justice when it comes to data privacy breaches. Your Lawyers, as leading Data Leak Lawyers, are here to help.
A Chorley Council data breach has recently been reported after it was revealed that thousands of members of the public may have had their details exposed by the local authority. The incident appears to be yet another example of the damage that can be done to information security when employees make misjudgements.
Unfortunately, the incident at Chorley Council is only one in a long list of data breaches to have been caused by human error at local government bodies generally. Councils like Chorley should be striving to break with this trend, but there has unfortunately been little progress in terms of data protection it seems.
In the UK, all third-party data controllers are obliged to comply with the GDPR in their protection of the information that they hold and process. If they fail to do so, they can be held accountable, and those affected may have a right to make a compensation claim.
Three years have passed since the NHS Digital data breach was reported, in a wide-reaching incident affecting around 150,000 patients across the country. Patients affected had chosen to opt-out from their medical information being used for non-care related purposes, but a mistake made by the IT and data branch of the NHS caused their requests to not be upheld.
Medical details represent perhaps the most sensitive type of personal information about us, so health professionals and services owe an important duty to their patients to protect this information and keep it confidential. This includes giving patients the option to choose how their data is processed and used, empowering them to take control of data disclosure. As such, when the health service fails to observe the choices of patients, it can be an indication of inept and inadequate data protection.
We began taking on claims for those affected by the NHS Digital data breach soon after it came to light, and we can still register claims despite the time that has elapsed since the incident. Contact us now to receive free, no-obligation advice on your claim.
It has recently been confirmed that a former Hampshire police officer has been reportedly banned from ever entering the police service again after it was found that he accessed private records without a valid policing reason. The Special Constable in question is understood to have resigned from his position before superiors could dismiss him for his data snooping.
While police officers are granted information access to records and details that are needed for casework, they are not authorised to view or use information outside of their policing workload without any good reason. Campbell violated his professional duty by accessing information without a legitimate reason, reportedly only browsing the records due to “curiosity”.
Regardless of the motives of the Hampshire police officer, there is no excuse for breaching data protection law. We trust the police service to maintain strict control over personal information, so it is important that any officers who breach the duty they owe to the public are held accountable for their actions.
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.
Around two years ago, the Police Federation of England and Wales was hit by a cyberattack, and we began taking claims forward soon after the data breach incident occurred. Although it was initially believed that no personal information affected, it was nevertheless a possibility that employee data may have been exposed to unauthorised access.
The case against the Police Federation is one of many data breach group actions we are pursuing. As leading specialists in data breach claims, we are fighting for justice in a number of high-profile actions, including those against Equifax, Virgin Media and British Airways.
As with all our data breach group actions, we are offering No Win, No Fee representation to eligible victims of the Police Federation data breach. You can contact us today if you are considering starting a claim.
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.
EasyJet admits data of nine million hacked
British Airways data breach: How to claim up to £6,000 compensation
Are you owed £5,000 for the Virgin Media data breach?
Virgin Media faces £4.5 BILLION in compensation payouts
BA customers given final deadline to claim compensation for data breach
Shoppers slam Morrisons after loyalty points stolen
Half a million customers can sue BA over huge data breach
Lawyers accuse BA of 'swerving responsibility' for data breach
The biggest data breaches of 2020
Fill out our quick call back form below and we'll contact you when you're ready to talk to us.
