Welcome To The Data Leak Lawyers Blog

Government digital service department leaks personal information

Many people may have a false sense of security that the Government are able to protect us and our data. Over the years, this belief has decreased massively given there are growing trends of data breaches, with hacks and leaks scarily becoming the norm.

This is exemplified in the Government’s digital service website – www.data.gov.uk – who recently fell victim to a security breach. A spokeswoman said that a database containing usernames and email addresses was discovered on a system which was accessible to the public. This was only discovered during a routine security review.

So, if the government can’t protect themselves, how can we expect them to protect us?!
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Work-assigned mobile devices are increasing cyber security risks for organisations

Laptops, phones and tablets are more and more common inside the workplace and out, allowing employees to present information easily, or work outside of the workplace. Company directors are also aware that it’s very common for employees to use such devices for other things like watching videos, reading news, entertainment purposes and accessing social media.

Whether these devices are used for professional or personal use, one thing remains the same: “an enterprise’s security is only as strong as its weakest link”.

These devices can often be the weakest link…
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Unprotected database containing 10 million U.S. vehicle owners’ personal details leaked

Approximately 10 million U.S. vehicle owners’ personal data was left exposed after a massive database containing their information was leaked.

Security researchers from Kromtech Security found the unprotected database split into three main sections which is thought to contain ‘critical and sensitive information’. The first section includes names, addresses, home and work numbers, dates of birth, gender and the number of children over 12 years old.

This information is thought to have been extracted from numerous U.S. based car dealerships.
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Online construction retailer fined for putting hundreds of its customer’s bank details at risk

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has concluded investigations into the online building products supplier, Construction Materials Online Limited (CMO), for breaching data protection principles.

The investigation first began when the online company was hacked back in May 2014.

Cyber criminals managed to identify a security vulnerability and performed an SQL injection into the company’s customer database. This method is commonly used for both destroying databases and stealing information, and in this case, it was to steal bank details from hundreds of customers.
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Survey finds that if you make over around £60,000 annually or graduate from University, you’re more likely to become a target of credit/debit card fraud.

Cyber-criminals are targeting more “affluent” individuals to obtain more money, studies have found.

Like a burglar deciding between a modest house and a luxurious one, they’re apparently choosing the ones that are likely to have more valuables. With the continual rise of malware, criminals are becoming more and more sophisticated and are taking on higher security risks for higher stakes.
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Cyber insurance surges in demand amidst growing concerns over cyber security

As cyber-crime continues grow, companies are recognising the need for cybercrime insurance.

The industry is reported to be worth around a staggering £7.7 billion. The demand is ever increasing as companies and authorities are finally starting to see the true impact cyber-crime can have. Entities of all shapes and sizes are being targeted by intelligent cyber criminals who have the programming skills to bring security systems down and access any number of data once thought safe.
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The rise of machine learning and how it can impact cyber-security

Throughout the past two years, we have seen breach after breach. From the Yahoo breaches to the international cyber-hack involving the NHS in May 2017, they never seem to stop!

So what can be done about it? This year, we expect to see the rise of machine learning to identify attacks quickly. Unlike the ransomware that crippled our NHS along with other organisations in 98 countries across the globe on the 12^th May 2017, not all data breaches flash on your screen with a frightening message demanding payment next to an intimidating timer. Many data breaches occur without companies being ever aware of it. Like the Yahoo data breaches, it took them years to realise their security systems had been compromised.
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Third Party companies may be your biggest security risk

A large number of security risks are caused by third party vendors.

As we saw with the recent Debenhams Flowers cyber-attack, using a third party company or service provider can leave your network vulnerable to security breaches. Whilst your company could have top of the line security measures put in place, the company that handles your packaging and shipping, or the company who processes customer purchases, may have weak to non-existent security measures.

This is a clear risk.
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“Pagers are a huge cause of leaking data” – Out-of-date devices are causing the industrial industry to compromise its security

The ‘Leaking Beeps’ report shines a light on how employees from industrial environments are leaking data through their pagers.

For those industries still using pager technology to communicate with their employees, this may be very bad news to them. The report details how unsecure pagers are, and in this day and age, any cyber security flaw is always a real concern.
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“Spying in schools becoming the norm” – More than 1,000 schools use software to monitor their students online use

Child safety and security has been at the apex for years, but it’s questionable as to whether it has been the case at the expense of data protection rights.

Some data privacy campaigners argue that school surveillance goes beyond what is necessary and may actually breach data protection rights of the children.

It’s never been easier to keep an eye on people with technology these days – so are schools going too far?
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