How safe is data after a hack or leak? this is a worrying thing

Kabari99-Britain’s election watchdogs revealed on Tuesday they had fallen victim to a

“complex cyber attack” that has the potential to affect millions of voters.

Also emerged were private details of police officers in Northern Ireland that were accidentally published.

However, what can we do if we are concerned that data may have been leaked, and how can we prevent problems?

Also read on:Case Veteran actor Jaya Prada was jailed for 6 months

How safe is my data?

Generally, when public organisations such as the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

respond to Freedom of Information requests they should remove any identifying data.

But in this case the force published confidential details by accident,

leaving some officers and their families with concerns about their safety.

Also read on:Inside the hunt for AI chips everyone wants Nvidia’s chips

However, an average person affected by a data leak or hack should not panic.

Regarding the cyber-attack affecting UK voters, the Electoral Commission has apologised to those affected but says

on its website the data it holds is “limited, and much of it is already in the public domain”.

“According to the risk assessment used by the Information Commissioner’s Office the data regulator to assess the harm of data breaches,

Also read on:Reportedly Withdraw from Merdeka Cup 2023, why?

Dont forget

the personal data held on electoral registers, typically name and address,

does not in itself present a high risk to individuals,” it says.

This information could be combined with other bits of data about you,

such as what you share on social media, to identify you but this takes a lot of time and

cyber criminals will generally only target prominent individuals like this.

Also read on:Japan expands communications into outer space

And unless you have opted out of being named on the open electoral register, much of this information will already be publicly available online.

If you are concerned about a different data breach, and are worried your information may have been lost,

there are also websites which will tell you if your email was part of a known data breach.

The Electoral Commission specifically recommends people use the free online service Have I Been Pwned (sic) to check this.

Also read on:The Tesla Shock Wave How Tesla versus all in EV dominance

What can I do to keep my data safe?

This is also why it is important to have different passwords for different accounts.

By always keeping different log-in credentials, a future hack is less likely to affect you seriously

as the hackers will not be able to use your data beyond accessing a single service you used.

Another thing people can do is to remain vigilant online to avoid any data loss.

Recent research from Barclays released on Wednesday shows that 87% of all scams take place on tech platforms,

Also read on:The Tesla Shock Wave How Tesla versus all in EV dominance

such as dating apps, social media and online marketplaces.

It says these scams are on the rise, and it wants tech platforms to shoulder some of the liability.

“Without the joint help of tech organisations, the Government, and regulators,

we risk enabling the unchecked growth of what is now the most common crime in the UK,

hurting countless individuals, and costing our economy billions each year,” says Barclays CEO Matt Hammerstein.

Also read on:A beautiful experience Monica Bellucci’s revolutionary film

Data

“Our data shows that tech platforms particularly social media are now the source of almost all scams.

However, there is no current legislative or regulatory framework obliging the tech sector to support the prevention of these crimes, as there rightly is for banks.”

But there are a few simple steps you can take to stay safe online, which can help protect your data – and your wallet.

Also read on:AI stepped in to help understaffed 911 operators

These include using a strong password for each site you visit,

avoiding emails from people you do not know, and being careful when visiting unfamiliar websites.

A further list is available from Action Fraud,the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime.

Kabari99-Diwani-Dubai