Leak of confidential information

We all have some information about ourselves that we do not share with just anyone. This is because it can easily be misused if it falls into the wrong hands. Therefore, a leak of confidential information, where such information becomes publicly known, is a serious matter. This is particularly evident in the regulations regarding personal data and GDPR. Unfortunately, it can be a time-consuming and complicated process to have information removed and to hold those responsible accountable. By taking out insurance with SAFEonNET®, you can ensure that both the company and its employees are effectively protected against the leak of confidential information.

A leak of confidential information can have significant consequences for both the individual and for companies. Therefore, a number of rules have been established for companies, organizations, and individuals that handle personal and confidential information. This was especially the case with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which sparked significant debate and discussion in the area of particularly confidential information. Unfortunately, it is still difficult to have personal information removed and to mitigate the damage when a leak of confidential information occurs about, for example, a company or an individual.

What is confidential information?

When confidential information escapes from a closed forum and becomes shared publicly, such as on the internet, it is referred to as a leak. But what is actually categorized as confidential information? First and foremost, it involves information that can be misused if it becomes publicly known and which therefore should be kept private. The data protection regulation has also categorized the different types of confidential information into three types, as follows:

1. General information
   The general confidential information includes all information that does not fall under point number 2, i.e., sensitive information. Therefore, general information includes, for example, name and address, credit card information, information about family relations, housing and car, CVs and applications, as well as a number of other information. Although general information is also referred to as non-sensitive information, it is still confidential, and leaks can still occur.

2. Sensitive information
   Sensitive information covers special categories of personal data. This includes information such as race and ethnic origin, political beliefs, genetic data, and sexual orientation. This information is, as the name suggests, more sensitive, and therefore a leak of such information would also be taken more seriously.

3. Information about criminal convictions
   The last category covers information about criminal convictions and violations of laws or security measures related to them.

Information can be misused

The entire issue surrounding the leak of confidential information is that it can be misused. Especially when sensitive information about a person's identity is leaked, it can have serious consequences because it will be openly available to the public. This can influence job applications or attempts to establish partnerships, as well as have repercussions for personal relationships. In some cases, the information can also be used to commit fraud regarding money or for identity theft. It is not without reason that there are strict regulations concerning data processing and personal sensitive information. Unfortunately, even legislation cannot completely stop the leak of personal information, especially not in the age of the internet.

The internet as a source of information is a risk

We live in an information society, where the internet has quickly become our primary source of information. We google almost everything – including other people. If confidential information is available on the internet, it can be easy to find, and consequently, there is a risk that many people can access the information relatively quickly. At the same time, many large companies and websites store personal data on customers and partners on the internet. This makes it possible for hackers to access this information and sell it, which can result in a large-scale leak. The other side of this is that the internet does not forget in the same way that humans do. If there is a leak of personal information and sensitive data about you on the internet, you cannot simply sit back and wait for it to disappear on its own. Although the internet enriches our society in many ways, and it is often convenient to access information quickly and easily, it also has a downside – especially concerning the leak of confidential information.

What can be done in the event of a leak?

If an individual or a business discovers that there has been a leak of confidential information, they would want something to be done about it as quickly as possible. However, if one opts for the legal route, it can be both difficult and time-consuming to have the information removed. It is naturally illegal to leak confidential information, but in some cases, it can be incredibly difficult to find out who is responsible and hold them accountable. As previously mentioned, it can also happen that you disclose your personal information to a website or company, which then gets hacked. When leaks occur on such a large scale, it is almost impossible to have your information removed through legal means. Even if it were successful to have data removed from a website, you may risk that it can still be found in search engines like Google.

Protect the company and its employees from leaks

Insurance against digital threats with SAFEonNET® will also protect against the leak of confidential information. If information about either the company or its employees is leaked, the insurance will ensure that the victims are entitled to assistance and competent handling from some of the country’s leading experts in digital reputation. The assistance will include help in attempting to have information removed, and if that is not possible, efforts will be made to bury the relevant information in search engines, so as to limit the damage and consequences as much as possible. If a company wants to protect both its own reputation and that of its employees from leaks of personal and sensitive information, then insurance with SAFEonNET® is the right choice.