Midlands News Association data breach causes exposure of journalists’ personal information

A report by HoldtheFrontPage has recently reported that the Midlands News Association has been faced with a data breach incident, after an unauthorised third party is understood to have accessed private folders.

It is believed that data relating to former journalists of the regional newspaper was published online after being downloaded. The MNA reportedly maintain that the published data is “difficult to download and access”, but the risks for the victims could be significant.

When a data controller fails to protect private information, they can be held accountable under the law here in the UK. The victims of data breaches can often be entitled to recover compensation for any harm caused to them. As such, anyone affected by the Midlands News Association data breach can contact us for advice on their potential claim. We may be able to offer No Win, No Fee legal representation.

How did the Midlands News Association data breach occur?

It is still unclear as to how the unauthorised user was able to access the private information held by the Midlands News Association, but the incident was reportedly first noticed on 17^th January. We understand that the newspaper company chose to enlist IT security specialists to assess the problem and, in late February, it was found that certain folders had been breached by an unknown user. This person later posted some of the data online.

It is understood that law enforcement is helping the MNA to prevent further information from being posted, suggesting that not all the data has been revealed in the public domain.

How have the victims been affected?

In a data breach notification letter sent by the Midlands News Association, those affected by the breach were informed that the following details may have been compromised:

• names;
• dates of birth;
• addresses;
• National Insurance numbers;
• bank account information.

The MNA reportedly stressed that, so far, there has been no evidence that the information exposed had been misused. That being said, the victims have potentially become vulnerable to cybercrime as a result of the data breach. Personal data can be a powerful weapon in the hands of criminals, who can use it to steal money, target victims with scams, or commit identity fraud.

It has been recommended that victims remain vigilant of any suspicious activity relating to their personal data.

What can affected victims do?

There may be little that the victims can do to prevent the misuse of their personal data, but those affected by the data breach at the Midlands News Association may be able to take action by making a data breach claim. It is unclear whether the ICO, the UK’s data protection regulator, is investigating the incident. However, we believe that the incident merits further scrutiny given the impact that it could have on the victims that have been affected by the incident.

It is believed that all the victims of the data breach have been contacted. As such, if you were among those affected, we can offer free, no-obligation advice on your potential compensation claim.

As specialists in data breach claims and group action law, we believe that any potential negligence of data protection law should be accounted for. This is especially the case for the significant financial and emotional impacts that data breaches can have on their victims.