Compensation for incorrectly configured databases

You could be entitled to claim GDPR compensation for incorrectly configured databases if your personal information is subsequently misused or exposed.

We may be able to represent you for a legal case on a No Win, No Fee basis, and you can contact us for free, no-obligation legal help here now.

Claiming compensation for incorrectly configured databases

You could be entitled to claim compensation for incorrectly configured databases if such an incident has resulted in your information being misused or exposed. It really can take just one small error and a database could end up being accessible online, or accessible beyond the reach of those who have authority to access it. It could be that security has dropped and anyone online could access it, or that people within an organisation can access the information when they should not have been able to do so.

One small error could result in the information for thousands, tens of thousands, or even potentially millions of people being exposed. This highlights the potential severity of an incident of this nature in which one small thing going wrong – whether it is a human error or a technical glitch – could cause a significant data breach.

Any misuse or exposure of your personal information could constitute a breach of the GDPR. The GDPR could allow victims of such a breach to claim compensation for any distress caused by the loss of control of their personal information. If we believe that there is a case to answer, we may be able to represent you for a claim on a No Win, No Fee basis.

The first place to start to find out if we can help you is to contact our team for free, no-obligation legal advice here now.

Virgin Media data breach – a real example

There are many examples of incorrectly configured databases that have resulted in breaches of personal information, and one of the most infamous events was the Virgin Media Data Leak discovered in 2020.

We represent thousands of clients engaged in this particular group action for compensation, where a database containing the information for some 900,000 people was accessible online for a period of 10 months. The incident stemmed from an incorrect configuration and resulted in a substantial data breach and the significant group action for compensation that we are pursuing.

You can read more about the Virgin Media group action for compensation on our dedicated website here.

The GDPR and the law for claiming

As we have referenced above, the GDPR and the law for claiming compensation is about recovering damages for any distress caused by the loss of control of your personal information. The GDPR encompasses this because it is not just about the law being there to protect information from being involved in a breach, it is also there for people to use as a means of access to justice if something goes wrong.

Winning a claim is about proving negligence, so it is about establishing whether more could – and should – have been done to have prevented a breach. Incidents involving incorrectly configured databases often stem from some form of error, whether it is a technical or human one which means that a breach of the GDPR could be established.