What is a Data Breach?
Typically, a data breach occurs when sensitive information is leaked, stolen, or transmitted. In some cases, this may involve financial loss. It may also affect the organization’s reputation. It could also lead to a regulatory investigation.
Some data breaches are accidental. This can happen when a user is mistakenly logged into a website. It may also occur when a user uses a weak password. Some breaches are the result of carelessness or poor design.
Other data breaches are intentional. These include phishing scams and malware. Some companies may also get attacked by insiders. Some attackers use compromised credentials to get into social media, online banking, and other accounts.
Some data breaches can lead to financial loss, non-compliance with industry standards, and even penalties. Depending on the scale of the breach and the amount of damage, the adverse effects can vary.
The Equifax data breach exposed credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, and birthdates of 200,000 consumers. It also revealed the names, addresses, and contact information of tens of millions of customers.
The Canva data breach occurred in 2019. The Australian graphic design company claimed that hackers did not steal credit card information. However, hundreds of millions of phone numbers were linked to Facebook accounts. The company also discovered that partial payment data was stolen.
Some security breaches are the result of malware, poor design, or a phishing scam. These attacks can occur on portable devices such as smartphones or laptops.