This article appeared in Cybersecurity Law & Strategy, an ALM publication for privacy and security professionals, Chief Information Security Officers, Chief Information Officers, Chief Technology Officers, Corporate Counsel, Internet and Tech Practitioners, In-House Counsel. Visit the website to learn more.

Data breaches can have substantial adverse impacts on firms, not only in the form of negative publicity or harm to a company’s brand and revenues, but through litigation that may result. A key point of contention in data breach litigation has been whether plaintiffs have met the injury-in-fact standing requirement of Article III of the Constitution. Demonstrating that a data breach has resulted in an injury-in-fact can be difficult, because it is not always clear what has happened or will happen with the stolen data.