Cyber attacks are becoming increasingly problematical for charities. According to a survey that was released in October of 2017, it was found that one in eight people in the UK had been victims of cyber crime in the preceding year. In the year 2022, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was the victim of a sophisticated cyber security attack against its computer servers. This attack resulted in the compromise of personal data and confidential information on more than 515,000 highly vulnerable people from at least 60 Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies around the world.
The charity sector is becoming increasingly reliant on third-party vendors and suppliers to successfully manage sensitive data and streamline operations. However, because they are so dependent on their external partners, they have become an easy target for cyber criminals who are looking to take advantage of holes in the supply chain. This article discusses the growing danger posed by assaults on supply chains within the charitable sector, as well as the efforts that organisations are doing to protect the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of their donors and recipients.
In the last week, a research-based consultancy in the United Kingdom called About Loyalty’s third-party research partner Kokoro was the victim of a cyber attack. This re-emerged the issue of cyber attacks in the charitable sector. According to the findings of Kokoro’s forensic investigation, the organisation that was responsible for the breach may have had access to certain data belonging to a subset of About Loyalty’s customers. In this instance, the information that was stored on Kokoro’s servers was restricted to a few data about supporters and information about previous donations. The information did not include postal addresses, financial information, or identity documentation. About Loyalty contacted the clients of the charity who might have been impacted by the issue. Several charitable organisations, including the RSPCA, Shelter, Dogs Trust, Battersea, and Friends of the Earth, have taken steps to reassure their donors over the safety of their data in the wake of a cyber attack that was launched against a provider in the sector.
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