By Jess Pembroke, Director of Information Law Services
In June 2021, Sony Music Entertainment uncovered a breach in a cloud account. The account had been compromised by Adrian Kwiatkowski (aka Dalziel), who illegally accessed multiple artists’ cloud storage to steal and sell unreleased music.[1]
Kwiatkowski has been prosecuted under copyright law because he distributed copyrighted material without the rights holders’ permission. Copyright law protects creators’ exclusive rights to control how their work is used so by stealing and selling these tracks, he infringed those rights directly.
We often think of data security in terms of personal information such as names, addresses, bank details but in the many industries, intellectual property is just as valuable. Unreleased tracks, scripts, designs, and manuscripts are business assets. Theft of creative work isn’t just a legal issue, just like the loss of personal data, it’s a breach of trust, a financial loss, and a reputational risk.
Dalziel got hold of the music by illegally accessing cloud storage accounts linked to the artists, but the question remains: were these accounts adequately protected in the first place?
Potential lessons learned include:
- Cloud accounts should be secured with strong, unique passwords and multi-factor authentication as standard.
- Organisations must prioritise regular training for all staff, ensuring they are aware of the latest threats such as phishing and best practices for safeguarding data including intellectual property. From interns to executives, everyone should understand the basics strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, secure sharing.
- Effective management of user accounts especially for new starters and departing employees is crucial. Timely provisioning and removal of account access reduces the risk of unauthorised entry points that could be exploited by cybercriminals.
- Organisations must integrate copyright and cybersecurity efforts, fostering shared responsibility through cross-functional training and establishing clear protocols for asset protection.
Want to Learn More?
Consider enrolling in our upcoming internal training:
- Copyright Essentials Course: This full-day course provides a comprehensive introduction to the practical aspects of copyright. You’ll explore what copyright protects, how long it lasts, who owns rights, and how to manage risks and opportunities when using or licensing creative works. Whether you’re looking to protect your own assets or use third-party content compliantly, this course is essential.
- Information Security and Data Breach Management: A hands-on course exploring how to prevent, detect, and respond to data breaches, with a focus on building a culture of trust and accountability.
Naomi Korn Associates understand how cyber security and data protection can overlap with copyright.
At Naomi Korn Associates, are a UK-based company specialising in copyright and data protection. For over two decades, we have been proudly providing comprehensive expert support, consultancy, and training to the cultural and creative industries. By drawing on the expertise of our Data Protection and IP teams we are uniquely positioned to offer integrated services, such as our Help Desk, to provide your organisation with combined support for both data protection and copyright.
Contact us at info@naomikorn.com for further information.
[1] Coldplay and Upsahl songs stolen by Luton cyber hacker – BBC News