Signs to Look For in a Data Breach
A Data Breach is an incident where personal information is compromised. These breaches have the potential to affect billions, or even hundreds of millions of people. With the growth of the digital age, there is an increasing volume of data being moved, making it easier for hackers to exploit our reliance on it. Though the exact scale of the next cyberattack is unknown, there are certain signs to look for in a Data Breach.
To protect yourself from a Data Breach, you should first learn as much as you can about how to prevent one from happening. One of the most important tips is to change your passwords on all your accounts. Choose long and complex passwords and make sure you use two-factor authentication. You should also contact your financial institutions and request fraud alerts. Additionally, you should change your account information, replace your credit cards, and update your software.
One recent Data Breach affected the social network MySpace. Cybercriminals were able to gain access to the passwords of more than 360 million users. These users’ passwords were encrypted using weak SHA1 encryption, allowing criminals to reuse them on other popular websites. This is especially concerning for people who use social networking sites like Facebook.
While Data Breach has many causes, the most common one is malicious software. Hackers are constantly creating malware that aims to infiltrate computers and collect personal information. These malicious programs are often delivered through infected websites, email attachments, and online ads. They then search for sensitive information on the computer system. Another type of security breach is social engineering. Fraudsters attempt to manipulate employees with access to sensitive information into releasing this information to unauthorized individuals.