How to prevent data breaches

When it comes to data security, it is vital that companies know how to prevent data breaches and put all the correct systems in place to do so.

In cases of huge data breaches that could have been prevented, such as the Virgin Media data breach, it is important that the organisation is held to account for their actions and that they are encouraged to put preventative measures in place. Really, it should not happen in the first place all, but we cannot stop companies having a lax attitude to data security.

Our job is to hold organisations to account for their irresponsibility in the hopes that said organisations will take data security seriously in the future, and to make sure victims get some form of justice. The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) is responsible for assessing a breach and implementing fines, but we are responsible for taking data breach compensation claims forward and getting victims the justice that victims deserve.

Ways to prevent data breaches

There are many ways to prevent data breaches from occurring that organisations can take into account. We can give you two simple ways right away here.

Firstly, having outdated software and computer systems can make it easier for hackers to access their systems and steal sensitive data. Organisations should always ensure that they have new and up-to-date security systems in place to prevent data breaches from occurring.

Organisations should also ensure that they are providing sufficient data protection and security training for all of their employees. A common origin of data breaches is employee error, like we saw in the Virgin Media case. If organisations enforce robust training, it could prevent data breaches from occurring so often.

The Virgin Media data breach could have been prevented

Virgin Media suffered a data breach earlier this year, due to an incorrectly configured database as a result of an employee error. The breach is estimated to have affected over 900,000 people, leaving personal data accessible online for a period of over 10 months. During investigations into the breach, the data was found to have been accessed by an unknown third-party at least once during the 10-month period.

The risks for the victims could, therefore, be substantial. In our view, it could – and should – have been prevented in the first place.

The data included in the breach consisted of names, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth and, in some cases, details that linked customers to pornography and explicit websites. This information being exposed is particularly dangerous as it could lead to blackmail and extortion events.

This breach was a result of an employee error and we must ask: was the correct training in place? Were there better systems that could have detected the incorrectly configured database and have prevented this data breach as well?

What can you claim for?

If you have been a victim of the Virgin Media data breach, you could be eligible to make a compensation claim.

You could be entitled to damages for the distress caused by the loss of control of your personal information, and for any losses and expense incurred, if applicable. You can just claim for the distress alone, and we operate on a No Win, No Fee basis.

Start your Virgin Media compensation claim here today.

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