Data breaches

A personal data breachA breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data. is a securityAlso known as a debenture, charge or mortgage, security over an asset or assets (such as cash, debts, real estate or equipment) is given by a borrower (and sometimes a third party such as a shareholder of the borrower) to a lender in case the borrower fails to make a payment due. Security is also used to refer to a personal guarantee of a borrower's payment obligations to a lender, typically given again by a shareholder and sometimes secured over the shareholder's personal assets. In the event of a borrower's failure to make a payment due to a lender, the lender will have the right to sell any asset secured or call in the guarantee. breachA violation of a legal or moral obligation. which leads to the unauthorised destruction, loss, alteration, disclosure of or access to personal dataAny information about an identifiable, living person. Information which cannot be used to identify someone on its own will still be personal data if it can be used in combination with other information to identify that individual., whether accidental or deliberate. This section will help you to understand what a personal data breachA breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data. involves and what your legal obligations are for responding to one. It includes guidance about the practical steps you should take to contain a breachA violation of a legal or moral obligation. , whether you need to notify affected individuals and when and how you must notify the ICOInformation Commissioner's Office. An independent body which upholds information rights in the public interest, promoting and policing data privacy for individuals..