A UK immigration portal, UK Visa Portal, has exposed the private data of thousands of applicants, including their passports and selfies. The security breach was discovered by a TechCrunch tip-off and affected at least 100,000 individuals.

The company did not address the issue directly but instead instructed its lawyers to communicate with the media. This prompted further questions about their response and transparency regarding customer notifications and data protection compliance.

Exposure of location data is particularly concerning as online identity checks become more prevalent. TechCrunch confirmed that the data was stored in a public Amazon-hosted server, which allowed anyone to access it despite not being publicly listed.

The incident highlights the ongoing risks associated with third-party services and the importance of direct communication between service providers and customers during security lapses. The lack of transparency from UK Visa Portal raises questions about their commitment to data security.