The Scottish Appropriate Adult Network (SAAN) website has suffered a data breach, with confidential details being leaked online.
SAAN is a group who work with those who suffer with mental health disorders, and need help in the justice system, which could be giving evidence or being interviewed by police.
The ‘Appropriate Adult’ cannot be a Police Officer or an employee of the Police Force, and can only facilitate for either the victim/witness or the suspect/accused on the same case.
The Sunday Post informed the organisation of the breach and their website was shut down, however it was too late as the personal details had already been accessed without authorisation, and posted online.
Around 50 ‘Appropriate Adults’ were affected, with their names, emails, phone numbers, and IP addresses stolen.
Lawyers, social workers, former police officers and carers are among those affected, as well as information about victims and cases being detailed online.
Mark James, ESET IT Security Specialist, discusses the effects of data breaches.
“Data sadly comes in many forms, some is worth money, some is worth notoriety, and some is worthless.
“For the average person we find it hard to actually understand the real implications of data leaks impacting our very lives.
“Of course if it’s financial data or the usual personal data, then spam calls or dodgy emails are a real pain, even changing financial information can be time consuming and something we can do without.
“However, when that data is so personal it can actually change how you live, or even raise concerns over your safety then that crosses the line between an inconvenience and potentially life threatening.
“For companies that are charged with keeping that data, safe there must be stricter rules and regulations to ensure that the means used for storing and protecting that data must exceed those used for ‘ordinary’ data? How can we determine what data is more sensitive that others, is it even possible?
“Each case is different but if actual harm could come from this type of data making itself public we need to do more to protect it in the first place.”
How important do you think your data is? Let us know on Twitter @ESETUK.
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