Are data breaches inevitable?

With the seemingly large amount of recent data breaches and cases of hackers accessing private information, you may be wondering: are data breaches inevitable?

This article will briefly explore exactly how preventable data breaches can be.

A recent example of a serious data breach is the Virgin Media Data breach which affected 900,000 victims. The victims had their personal data exposed online for a ten-month period between April 2019 and 28^th February 2020, with at least one unknown third-party accessing the information during the breach period. This breach stemmed from an ‘incorrectly configured’ database as a result of employee error.

Considering this case, are data breaches inevitable when simple errors take place? The breach could have been prevented if the employee had correctly configured the database, so the answer appears to be a resounding yes.

Are data breaches inevitable?

Are data breaches inevitable? They are when not enough is done to prevent them…

Data breaches, leaks or hacks can occur as a result of a number of different reasons, but it is unfair to say they are completely inevitable. Data breaches could be a result of poor or old and out-dated systems, inadequate online security, employee errors, or simple accidents.

Many are also the result of hackers gaining access to systems to steal information as well.

Despite a long list of reasons, there are ways to combat every scenario listed above to prevent data breaches from happening. Data breaches can amount to a serious breach of information privacy, and it is important to make a claim if you have been affected. Data protection laws are in place to prevent such breaches and, when they do occur, victims have the right to make a compensation claim using the same legislation.

How can organisations prevent data breaches?

Organisations, particularly large organisations that hold huge numbers of data like Virgin Media, need to put the right systems in place to prevent data breaches, leaks, or hacks occurring. Organisations must ensure that they have up-to-date and proper security software in place that can safely store information and prevent system failures or hackers easily gaining access to the databases.

Another way to prevent data breaches is to ensure all employees are fully informed and trained when it comes to data security. Each employee should go through a rigorous training process that covers things like how to handle data, how to store it safely, and how to use data software correctly.

This is one of the biggest factors in preventing data breaches that occur as a result of employee error  -you are only as strong as the weakest link in your defence!

Has your information been involved in a data breach?

We are sometimes asked the question about are data breaches inevitable. We know that they do still happen and happen regularly, which is why our work is so important.

If your personal data has been involved in the Virgin Media data leak, you could be eligible to make a compensation claim here. This is an example of what we consider to be a preventable data breach, which is why we are confident in the legal action that we have launched.

We have years of experience handling data breach claims and know the risks and distress that come with them, which is why we do our very best to help you in every way we can.

For eligible clients, we can offer No Win, No Fee legal representation.

The content of this post/page was considered accurate at the time of the original posting and/or at the time of any posted revision. The content of this page may, therefore, be out of date. The information contained within this page does not constitute legal advice. Any reliance you place on the information contained within this page is done so at your own risk.