Newly released on Netflix, The Great Hack is a documentary that explores the murky data-sharing relationship between Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. To briefly recap, in 2014, the private data of up to 87 million Facebook users fell into the hands of UK-based Cambridge Analytica, a data intelligence company, or “full-service propaganda machine” if you ask […]
PrivSec podcast series
Stories of huge data breaches, record-breaking fines and the crucial issue of data privacy have seldom been out of mainstream media spotlight as we settle into the GDPR era. The revelations have fallen for good reason – for over 12 months now, European data regulators have been flexing new legislative muscles in a bid to […]
DPO 200: Recognising data protection professionals from across Europe
The Data Protection sector has experienced widespread change of regulatory and technology developments, particularly over the last 12 months following the enforcement of GDPR. GDPR celebrates its one year anniversary tomorrow, May the 25th 2018. The DPO 200, sponsored by OneTrust, in association with the GDPR Institut, recognises and celebrates individuals who have made significant […]
#privacy: Facebook could have done more to inform data breach victims of risks
Victims of the data breach that hit Facebook in 2018 were not given enough warning about the risks of having their data stolen, a court has heard. At the end of the summer last year, news broke of how the personal details of millions of account holders had been exposed through the social network. Hackers […]
#privacy: European Central Bank confirms data breach and shuts down website
The European Central Bank (ECB) confirmed that it has suffered a data breach at its Banks’ Integrated Reporting Dictionary (BIRD) website. In a short statement released on Thursday, the bank had stated that an unauthorised party had breached the security measures that were put in place to protect BIRD. Subsequently, the contact data of 481 […]
Formjacking accounts for 71% of all web breaches
According to F5 Labs, formjacking has become an extremely popular method of data stealing. Formjacking is the process of injecting malicious code onto e-commerce websites with the purpose of stealing payment credentials. In F5 Labs latest Application Report 2019, 760 breaches had been analysed, and it was found that during the first half of 2019, […]
#privacy: Users’ growing cyber-security conscience prompts forecast upgrade for Avast
Internet security developer, Avast, is anticipating financial increases after noting consumers’ growing demand for cyber-security solutions. As reported by Reuters, the company said that a steady rise in products designed to bolster user privacy constitutes a clear indicator for revenue growth for the year. Relying on a “freemium” model that has seen the company give […]
#privacy: Air New Zealand experiences data breach
Over 100,000 Air New Zealand Airpoints customers have been affected. A phishing attack has exposed the personal information of approximately 112,000 Airpoints customers, with names, details and Airpoints numbers among data compromised. Air New Zealand notified the New Zealand’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner about the breach on July 31, however customers were only informed […]
PrivSec:Report Weekly Roundup
Each week, PrivSec:Report presents the top 5 headlines from the week’s news and upcoming events in the privacy and security industry. This week the UK cyber industry gets a funding boost and the Australian Department of Home Affairs leaked the information of VISA applicants. More Social Media News. Not a week goes by where a […]
#privacy: A-level students offered cyber-security courses by Immersive Labs
A-level students who didn’t quite make the grade this summer are being given a helping hand in cyber-security, thanks to Immersive Labs. The company, which is based in Bristol, UK, is providing a free course for those who may not have won entry into their first-choice university, but who still harbour ambitions to pursue a […]
#privacy: UK’s biggest forensic services provider targeted by ransomware
A “highly-sophisticated” ransomware attack on Eurofins Scientific, has led to the suspension of work between the company and the British police. Eurofins Scientific, is an international group of laboratories that carry out DNA testing, firearms testing, toxicology analysis and computer forensic for police forces across the UK. In June, Eurofins Scientific had been targeted by […]
#privacy: Alison Pepper to speak at PrivSec New York
Alison Pepper will address audiences at PrivSec conference, taking place November 5th and 6th at Columbia University, New York City. Alison Pepper currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Government Relations at the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As) in Washington, D.C. In that role she works with regulators, legislators, and cross-industry stakeholders on […]
#privacy: Clickjacking is still continuing to thrive
According to a research paper, clickjacking has become an extremely popular method of attack for online scammers. Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Microsoft Research, Seoul National University and Pennsylvania State University found that clickjacking is a threat that is evolving, and new tactics are emerging. Clickjacking is the process whereby attackers launch […]
#privacy: ICO to investigate facial recognition at King’s Cross
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is to launch an official investigation into the facial recognition processes in operation at King’s Cross in north London. When news of the technology’s use broke earlier in August, a spokesperson for the developer, Argent, said that monitoring was being carried out on the 67-acre site to “ensure public safety”, […]