Covid-19 test center – €2,700 Fine (Germany, 2022)
General GDPR enforcement action
This case relates to broader data protection obligations, not specifically to cookie or consent banner compliance. It is not included in cookie statistics or the Risk Calculator.
A Covid-19 test center in Germany was fined €2,700 for sending unencrypted emails with test results. This meant that anyone with the right link could access not just their own results but also those of others. This case highlights the importance of securing personal information to protect people's privacy.
What happened
The test center sent unencrypted emails containing URLs that allowed access to test results without proper security measures.
Who was affected
Visitors who received test results via email from the Covid-19 test center were affected.
What the authority found
The authority found that the test center failed to implement adequate security measures, violating GDPR's requirement for data protection.
Why this matters
This ruling emphasizes that businesses must take necessary steps to protect personal data. Companies should ensure that any sensitive information is securely transmitted to prevent unauthorized access.
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The DPA of Hamburg has imposed a fine of EUR 2,700 on a Covid-19 test center. The test center had send the data subjects an unencrypted e-mail containing a URL that allowed them to access the test result without taking any further security measures. In some cases, the download link was structured in a way that led to the download of a PDF file with the file name corresponding to the last name of the person tested. With knowledge of the directory path, it was therefore possible to view third-party test results.
Related Enforcement Actions (3)
Other enforcement actions involving Covid-19 test center in DE
Fine
€3K
Details
Fine Date
1 January 2022
Authority
Bundesbeauftragter für den Datenschutz
Fine Amount
€2,700
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. Covid-19 test center - Germany (2022). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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