Two major data breaches have made front page and headline news this week, highlighting the risks to companies and bodies dealing in large amounts of sensitive data. The PSNI data breach is reported on here and the electoral commission breach here.

Whether as a result of malicious actors, or simple human error, the consequences for the company and its customers can be just as severe.

When the unexpected occurs, it is important to have a plan in place, act quickly to secure your systems, limit misuse of the affected material and protect your users.

Our Data and Technology team is well placed to advise. Anita Bapat said

These days it’s not a question of if you will suffer a data breach, but when. Given this, organisations need to be aware of what data they hold and how they protect it, and what to do when things go wrong. The first 72 hours are crucial from a legal perspective, but also from a containment and public opinion perspective. The organisations who are prepared and professional are able to maintain public trust which is crucial in our digital world.