Midlands News Association data breach

A recent report by HoldtheFrontPage has revealed that the Midlands News Association has been hit by a data security incident. The incident allegedly allowed an unauthorised third party to access the private details of journalists hired by the regional newspaper company.

The company does not appear to have disclosed the number of affected victims, but it has been revealed that information relating to the journalists has reportedly already been published online. Whenever a data breach occurs, the data controller responsible for the breach could be liable to pay compensation. Those who had their data exposed from the Midlands News Association may, therefore, be eligible to make a claim on a No Win, No Fee basis.

If you have been informed that your data was affected, we are happy to offer free and no-obligation advice on your potential eligibility for a compensation claim.

What information has been exposed?

According to the report from HoldtheFrontPage, the Midlands News Association data breach has exposed various personal details relating to journalists employed by the newspaper. This allegedly included some who were working for the company as far back as 2011.

The affected information is understood to include:

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

In a notification letter to the affected journalists, the MNA director reportedly revealed which of their details had been exposed. It is understood that the online publication of the private data is directly linked to the theft of the details by an unauthorised third party.

The aftermath of the Midlands News Association data breach

In the wake of the data breach, the Midlands News Association reportedly engaged the services of IT forensic specialists, after discovering a problem on 14^th January. Towards the end of February, it is understood that the experts pinpointed certain folders that had been subjected to unauthorised access. The MNA is now understood to be collaborating with law enforcement to manage the risk of further data being published.

The victims themselves have been advised to be cautious about any potential data misuse. It is possible that criminals may use the private details for the purposes of fraud or identity theft. As such, those affected need to be on their guard. Moreover, we anticipate that many victims may suffer different forms of distress in the aftermath of the data breach, such as stress or anxiety.

The Midlands News Association has allegedly sought to reassure the affected journalists that they take their data protection obligations seriously, according to the reports, giving the following explanation:

“Like many other organisations, MNA faces the challenge of dealing with the increasing sophistication of cyber incidents.”

However, data protection breaches cannot always be attributed to just cybercrime, and we believe the MNA should be subjected to further investigation.

Claiming compensation for a data breach

If you were affected by the Midlands News Association data breach, you may be eligible to recover compensation. We encourage any victims to come forward for free, expert advice on their potential claims, as we don’t want anyone to miss out on their chance to access justice.

Simply contact us today to find out if you could be eligible for No Win, No Fee legal representation.