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Are you more susceptible to data breaches when using online tools

Data breaches are, unfortunately, widespread in today's world.
Moving a significant part of business processes and procedures online, the rise of ecommerce and the advent of online media and entertainment has made the world much more accessible. Just think about all the time you can save simply by placing orders online.
It is also very convenient to have things delivered to your doorstep or watch the latest motion pictures from the comfort of your home.
It has also meant that the general public fills in a lot of their personal information on websites where hackers can target it.

The online space's ability to provide easy solutions for anyone looking for them has also contributed to the rise of cyber tools that help make work easier.
Translation tools are perhaps the most well-known example.
They come in handy to both students and employees working for large businesses that have to interact with colleagues from all over the world.
Depending on the tool, you can be sure to get an accurate translation that's up to any standard.
It's important to pick something that does the job well, as many of these solutions can be inefficient and provide a low-quality translation output.
There are also several other tools that are used by people all over the world on a daily basis, including media conversion solutions.

However, there might be a darker side to these apps, the one that involves the possibility of data breaches.
Are you at risk?

What is a data breach?

Data breaches are some of the most destructive events that can happen in the online world.
In broad terms, they refer to a situation in which an unauthorised third party gains access to someone else's private information.
Millions of customers, employees or patients are affected by them.
Hackers see online stores and organisations as a means to access vulnerable information they can exploit for their own gain afterwards.

The effects on the victims can be quite severe.
The most common situation is when a customer suddenly realises they're missing a lot of money from their bank account.
The more serious scenario involves identity theft, an offence that's notoriously difficult to stop.
It can be particularly damaging, as your name can become associated with clandestine bank accounts for which you have to pay fees yourself, as well as possible criminal activity.
Since you didn't do anything incriminating, being accused of a crime can be particularly damaging to your overall mental health.

If you've been involved in a data breach event, you can reach out to DataBreachClaims.org.uk.
The amount you're eligible to receive depends on the severity of the situation.
Information infringement is different from other types of injuries that solicitors can solve due to the fact that you sustain no physical damage as a result of the breach.
However, a great deal of mental and emotional damage is involved. PTSD is widespread among victims of data breaches.
Depending on the degree of post-traumatic stress that you experience, you will receive various amounts in compensation, with the more severe cases yielding a higher amount.

How do they happen?

While data breaches are typically associated with a cyber criminal operating from the depths of a dimly lit room somewhere, the reality is that a lot of data breaches happen from inside companies.
Employees often don't have the adequate expertise to operate all the systems at their disposal.
Human error is unfortunately common in these cases.
There are also situations in which an employee aims to do deliberate harm to the company for which they work by releasing or selling personal records.

One of the other ways in which it happens is if the employees have malware on their computers.
This type of software exploits weaknesses in a company's system. Once installed, it monitors all activity to determine where it can locate data to steal.
Given that computers are often linked to each other in a business, the virus can spread across the entire system and affect more than one computer.
The damage done at an organisational level is much higher than the one on personal, household computers.

One of the most common ways to get malware or ransomware is to download or use unauthorised programs.
Sometimes, a pop-up can show up and click on it can be all it takes to download a virus.
As a general rule, if you require a translation, it's important to work with authorised tools.
They get regular updates, and there's an entire team of experts behind them.
There's very little chance official software will get hijacked by hackers looking to attach their malware to something.

Regulatory concerns

Depending on your country and jurisdiction, you might also be infringing on other rules, regulations and laws by using free online tools.
While virtually every single one of the websites and apps promises that they operate with utmost secrecy in mind and that any document you load on their page is entirely safe from any harm, it's difficult to confirm these claims.

Many countries have cyber laws pertaining to the use of cloud services.
Storing documents comes with an additional duty of care towards them and, by extension, your customers.
Failure to comply with regulatory standards leaves businesses open to the possibility of paying penalties.
There's also the issue of non-disclosure agreements.
This legal contract stipulates that the recipients must maintain strict confidentiality regarding the information entrusted to them.

Using this type of information carelessly, for example, by uploading it on a translation tool or converting it from one file type to another using an unofficial tool, can constitute a breach of most NDAs.
Data privacy laws also specify that if a company is involved in a data breach, a comprehensive investigation will ensue that can determine where the systems failed.

Data breaches are uncomfortable events for everyone involved.
They can result in loss of reputation, bankruptcy, complete destruction of businesses and enterprises, and significant emotional and financial damage for victims.
Having well-trained employees and using the right tools within companies can help mitigate the risks.