Some Southern Water customers and employees had their data stolen after a cyberattack in early 2024. In the wake of this breach, law firms are rallying to help those affected. But how can victims get justice and secure compensation for the breach of their personal and financial data?
What happened in the Southern Water data breach?
Southern Water provides water services across Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight. Managing the personal information of millions, the company suffered a severe blow when it fell victim to a cyberattack orchestrated by the criminal ransomware gang Black Basta.
The attack resulted in the theft of substantial personal data, including highly sensitive details such as bank information and ID documents.
Who is affected by the Southern Water data breach?
While Southern Water claims that only a fraction of customers were compromised (5-10%) the exact number of affected individuals has yet to be confirmed. We know that Southern Water provides water services to 2.5 million customers and wastewater services to more than 4.7 million customers, so this is likely to be a huge data breach.
Some current and former employees are also affected by the Southern Water data breach.
The aftermath of the Southern Water data breach
Following the Southern Water data breach, it notified the Information Commissioner Office (ICO) about the incident. The ICO is the UK’s data protection watchdog. If it believes poor security practices at Southern Water contributed to the loss of customer data, it could fine the water company. If you are concerned about how Southern Water has handled your personal information, you should complain to the ICO.
The ICO does not compensate victims of data breaches. If it fines Southern Water, this money will go to the government. As such, law firms in England have launched legal actions to help those affected by the data breach get justice and compensation for the violation of their data protection rights.
Take action! Start a Southern Water data breach compensation claim today
Have you been notified that your data may have been involved in the Southern Water data breach? If so, you could be due compensation.
Join the Claim connects consumers with SRA-regulated lawyers. Visit the claim page to check your eligibility if a claim is open with one of our trusted legal partners. If a group action has not yet been launched, you can register your interest and we’ll keep you informed if a partner firm decides to take a claim forward.
