What Is a Data Breach?
A Data Breach occurs when a piece of sensitive personal data falls into the wrong hands. This could be through an internal breach by a staff member or a cyber attack.
Data breaches occur through a combination of methods, including hacking, physical point-of-sale attacks, credential stuffing, and supply chain hacking. Some attackers also exploit vulnerabilities in the software and hardware used to access information.
What Is a Data Breach?
Data breach is a cybersecurity mishap whereby confidential information, such as financial records or medical details, can be exposed. It is a serious issue for business organizations, government agencies, and individuals.
The majority of breaches are caused by external hackers, though many have been reported due to flaws in the products and services of businesses. Some of the more notable breaches have involved Equifax, Target, and Yahoo.
What Are the Consequences?
A data breach can result in a loss of reputation for the company that suffered the breach, as well as financial damage to the organization. It can also lead to higher levels of data protection requests and complaints, which requires more resources to deal with in the short term, as well as longer-term planning to ensure that data is protected in the future.
What Is an Effective Response?
An effective response to a data breach should involve multiple professionals, from forensics to legal. These should be gathered in a team to ensure that the business is able to contain the damage and minimize its impact.