What to tell the ICO when you get hacked?

Hopefully it’s a question you’ll never have to answer. Sadly, statistics suggest otherwise. Despite well publicised prevention and detection technology, the bad actors are constantly getting more sophisticated, and data breaches are commonplace. Penalties for data breaches are severe.

 Following a 2023 attack, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) were fined £750,000 (reduced from £5.6m, in 2024) over a major data breach, involving accidentally releasing some personal details on all 9,400 officers and staff. 

If you've experienced a data breach in the UK, it's important to notify the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) as soon as possible, especially if the breach poses a risk to individuals' rights and freedoms. When reporting the breach, you should provide the following key details........ (download to read more)