The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has been ordered to pay a £750,000 fine following a significant data breach last year. The UK’s Information Commissioner, John Edwards, labeled this incident “the worst data breach” his office encountered. GBHackers on Security is a top cybersecurity news platform, delivering up-to-date coverage on breaches, emerging threats, malware, vulnerabilities, and global cyber incidents. The incident underscores the critical importance of robust data management practices within public bodies, especially those handling sensitive information. Chairman Liam Kelly argued that funds could have been better allocated to enhance data security and invest in community initiatives like road safety and CCTV partnerships. Despite representations to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to reduce the penalty, the fine remains unchanged. Divya is a Senior Journalist at GBhackers covering Cyber Attacks, Threats, Breaches, Vulnerabilities and other happenings in the cyber world. In August last year, the PSNI inadvertently published sensitive information under a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. However, Information Commissioner John Edwards maintained that accountability has been upheld even if no individual job losses occurred. He emphasized the severe impact on PSNI officers and staff, many of whom had taken measures to conceal their employment due to security concerns. The service faces a £34 million shortfall, and Boutcher noted that the penalty would “further compound” financial challenges. Join us for an insightful panel discussion with Chandan Pani, CISO - LTIMindtree and Ashish Tandon, Founder & CEO – Indusface, as we explore the multifaceted role of compliance in securing modern enterprises. According to the BBC report, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher regretted the fine, highlighting its impact on the PSNI’s strained budget. Non-compliance can result in substantial financial penalties, with average fines reaching up to $4.5 million for GDPR breaches alone. The ICO had initially considered a £5.6 million fine but reduced it in recognition of the organization’s public nature. He reiterated that his role is to protect information rights through appropriate fines.
This Cyber News was published on gbhackers.com. Publication date: Thu, 03 Oct 2024 12:43:05 +0000