Legal Updates

Data Protection - ICO Fine – Sony –Personal Data – Hacking – Data Protection Act 1998

 

The Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) recently imposed a fine of £250,000 on Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited.

 

In April 2011, the Sony Playstation Network Platform was hacked and millions of customers’ details were leaked. The details included, names, email addresses, dates of birth, passwords and payment card details.

 

After a thorough investigation, the ICO found that the attack could have been prevented if the software had been up-to-date. David Smith, Deputy Commissioner said:

 

“If you are responsible for so many payment card details and log-in details then keeping that personal data secure has to be your priority. In this case that just didn’t happen, and when the database was targeted – albeit in a determined criminal attack – the security measures in place were simply not good enough.”

 

“There’s no disguising that this is a business that should have known better. It is a company that trades on its technical expertise, and there’s no doubt in my mind that they had access to both the technical knowledge and the resources to keep this information safe.”

 

This is only the fourth fine imposed by the ICO on a private company and is its largest ever awarded against a private sector organisation.

 

How can we help?

 

RT Coopers can assist you in meeting your obligations under the Data Protection Act. We conduct due diligence on businesses’ operations in order to determine specific weaknesses to be considered by data controllers. Once these are identified, we would advise you on the remedial measures you should put in place.

 

You may contact us by email [email protected]. Visit http://www.rtcoopers.com/practice_dataprotection.php

 

© RT COOPERS, 2013. This Briefing Note does not provide a comprehensive or complete statement of the law relating to the issues discussed nor does it constitute legal advice. It is intended only to highlight general issues. Specialist legal advice should always be sought in relation to particular circumstances.