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ARTICLE · 10 MAY 2023

Criminal Sanction For Data Protection Issues

Arthur Cox
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A Finnish court has imposed a three month suspended sentence on the former CEO of a psychotherapy firm that experienced a major personal data breach.

IrelandPrivacy
Colin Rooney
Colin Rooney
Aoife Coll
Aoife Coll
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A Finnish court has imposed a three month suspended sentence on the former CEO of a psychotherapy firm that experienced a major personal data breach.

The psychotherapy firm was targeted by a ransomware attack, which resulted in sensitive health data being published on the dark web. Prosecutors claimed that the former CEO's actions were intentionally or grossly negligent as he did not ensure that the personal data processed by the firm was adequately protected. The court found the former CEO criminally liable for failing to comply with GDPR security requirements in terms of the pseudonymisation and encryption of patient data.

The court held that a fine would not be sufficient in this case and therefore imposed the suspended sentence.

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This article contains a general summary of developments and is not a complete or definitive statement of the law. Specific legal advice should be obtained where appropriate.

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