The seriousness of data breaches
When third-party companies fail to protect personal data, the consequences can be severe. Yet despite the seriousness of data breaches for the victims, some organisations continue to neglect their data protection duties.
It can be worrying to learn that your information has been unlawfully processed or exposed to misuse, and this reaction is understandable. When a data breach occurs, it can be impossible to regain complete control over your personal information, as it may have already reached the hands of malicious cybercriminals and fraudsters.
While the damage caused by a data security incident cannot always be reversed, there is data protection legislation in the UK that can allow victims to claim compensation for any harm they have suffered. To help victims of the Virgin Media data breach, we have launched a group action in which anyone affected by the incident may be able to recover compensation.
The loss of control of your personal data
When we disclose our data to a third-party organisation, we trust that they will protect the information in our stead. Everyone wants to rest easy in the knowledge that their information is protected from insecurities and vulnerabilities. As such, it can be devastating to learn of the loss of control of your personal data, as it can lead to a lot of anxiety and uncertainty.
All third parties in possession of personal information have a legal obligation to protect it through organisational and cybersecurity measures. If anything, this protection is even more vital today due to the ever-evolving nature of cybercrime, which means that methods of data theft and misuse are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Data protection policy is essential for companies to have control over, so it is unacceptable that some are failing to pay it the attention it requires.
We believe that the negligence of Virgin Media may be to blame for its 2020 data breach, which affected approximately 900,000 victims, revealed last March. In our group action, the victims could be eligible to recover thousands of pounds in compensation. As such, if you were affected by this incident, you can sign up to start your claim today here.
The seriousness of data leaks
Despite the growing importance of cybersecurity and data protection, many companies still fail to comprehend the seriousness of data leaks. Countless data breach incidents are reported every day, and even damning press coverage does not seem to persuade companies to improve their data protection efforts.
Meanwhile, vast numbers of victims are on the receiving end of data leaks every day, and they know the consequences all too well. The stress and anxiety of a data breach can be a severe impact in itself, without the added possibility of cybercrime.
We believe that it is important to take action to ensure that companies grasp how important data protection is, and data breach claims can allow victims to hold data controllers to account. In our Virgin Media group action, we are aiming to recover compensation for thousands of claimants, all of whom had their data exposed due to Virgin Media’s negligence. If you were affected by the breach, you can sign up now to make your claim.
Why data loss is serious
Despite the recurrent reports of cyberattacks and data breaches in the headlines, there continues to be a lack of awareness about the harmful consequences of data exposure. All businesses and organisations have a legal duty to process and store information securely, but the negligence and inaction of some would suggest that they have failed to recognise that data loss is serious.
For the victims of data breaches, it can be incredibly worrying to know that your data has been exposed to unauthorised access, and their fears are not without reason. Cybercrime is ever-evolving and appears to have been on the rise during the Covid-19 pandemic. Information misuse can often be the key to successful scams and fraud for cybercriminals.
In accordance with UK data protection laws, everyone has a right to expect that their information will be kept safe by the third parties to whom they have disclosed it. In our view, the victims of the Virgin Media data breach have been severely let down, which is why we are helping them to claim compensation in our group action against the company. Anyone affected by the incident can join today to make their claim.
Make a compensation claim for a data breach
In the wake of a data breach, victims can undergo a great deal of stress and anxiety, worrying about whose hands their personal information may have fallen into, or feeling threatened by the possibilities of data misuse. Given the ever-evolving threat of data-related crime, the worries of data breach victims are entirely warranted. Unfortunately, some of these risks are inescapable once data exposure has occurred. Although it cannot remedy the damage caused by a data breach, victims can be eligible to make a compensation claim to seek the justice they deserve.
Those affected by the Virgin Media data breach are no different. If you were one of the 900,000 UK victims notified of their involvement in the data breach, you could be eligible to recover thousands of pounds in compensation. Your Lawyers is a law firm with years of experience in data breach claims and group actions, so we have the expertise needed to fight on your behalf.
GDPR breaches and compensation claims
Introduced in 2018 in the UK, the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) has updated data protection law and the rights of those affected by data breaches. Applying to all businesses and organisations that hold personal information, the GDPR demonstrates the steps these parties must take to ensure data is protected. For data breaches, the law can enable them to claim compensation if they have been affected by GDPR breaches.
Although the GDPR has been in place for around three years now, many data controllers still fail to show enough recognition for their legal obligations. Towards the end of 2019, some reports suggested that approximately half of UK businesses were still not fully GDPR compliant yet, and it is unclear how much progress has been made.
In many cases, data breach incidents reveal a potential culture of negligence towards data protection within some businesses, highlighting the actions they failed to take to keep personal data secure. We believe that this is the case for the Virgin Media data breach, in which 900,000 UK consumers were affected by the exposure of their personal data. If more protections had been in place, the incident could potentially have been avoided, which is why all those affected could be entitled to claim compensation for the harm caused.
Compensation for victims of data leaks
In March last year, victims of the Virgin Media data breach learned that their information had been compromised due to the company’s failure to keep it secure. Approximately 900,000 UK victims were affected by the incident, which caused their personal details to become subjected to unauthorised access. All victims of data leaks could be entitled to claim compensation for the harm caused, and the victims of the Virgin Media data breach are no different.
Soon after the breach, we began taking on claims for those affected, as we believed that Virgin’s actions, or rather inaction, could amount to data protection negligence. Under the GDPR, the primary data protection law in the UK, all data controllers are obliged to protect personal information with appropriate technical and organisational methods. Where they fail in this duty, they may be in breach of the law.
If you were notified of your involvement in the Virgin Media data leak and wish to claim compensation, you can enter your details in our online form here today to join our group action.
Data leak compensation claims
A data breach notification letter or email can be an incredibly worrying and stressful message to receive. All of a sudden, a company tells you that your private information has been exposed, meaning that it may be vulnerable to misuse. The shock of a data breach must not be underestimated, as it can leave victims feeling betrayed, frustrated and distressed. To act upon the sense of injustice they feel, many data breach victims may be able to make data leak compensation claims against the data controller responsible for the breach.
When a third-party organisation fails to protect your personal information, this may constitute a breach of data protection law. By contacting a law firm to make a claim, you are taking matters into your own hands, ensuring that the organisation can be held accountable for any damage that they have caused.
In the wake of the Virgin Media data breach, we wanted to give as many victims as possible a chance to make a claim. Using our expertise in data breach claims and group litigation, we have launched a group action against Virgin Media, which eligible victims can join to seek the compensation they deserve.
Exposing data – the role of data controllers
When a data breach occurs, it can cause reputational damage and immense costs for the company involved. Some companies may, therefore, seek to shift the blame for data exposure, dismissing it as a mere accident or as the unfortunate consequence of a cyberattack. It is vital that we ensure data controllers are held to account for exposing data, otherwise they may be able to escape their responsibility for any harm caused.
In fact, any third-party organisation in possession of your personal information has a legal duty to protect it in accordance with UK data protection law. Where they fail to do so, they could be liable to pay out thousands of pounds in compensation to those affected.
In our Virgin Media data breach group action, we are seeking to prove that the company bears the responsibility for its data leak, that exposed 900,000 people’s data. We believe that Virgin Media cannot escape this fact, and could be liable to pay compensation to all of those who are eligible to claim. You can go to our online form to check your eligibility to claim and join the fight for justice.
The dangers of exposing data
While the digital age is expanding the possibilities of the internet and technological solutions, it also comes with increasingly prevalent and sophisticated cybercrime problems. The dangers of exposing data are, therefore, even more severe, because there is a huge network of cybercriminals looking to take advantage of victims’ personal information.
It can be impossible to entirely eliminate the risks of cybercrime, but many businesses are failing to tackle the threat it poses to personal information, with thousands of data breaches being reported to the ICO each year. Whether they are neglecting to check cybersecurity defences regularly, or failing to secure their systems effectively, inaction can come at the cost of exposing people’s information.
In the Virgin Media data breach, approximately 900,000 UK victims, mainly customers, had their data exposed to unauthorised access due to what we consider to be severe negligence. We believe it is vital that victims are fairly compensated for this breach, which is why we have started a group action to enable as many people to claim as possible. Anyone affected can sign up today to join the fight for justice.
