How Does a Data Breach Affect You?
As we continue to become more reliant on data, the number of people affected by a data breach has risen to millions or even billions. These breaches can be as simple as a doctor accidentally looking at the wrong patient’s chart to as large as a cyberattack on government computers by hackers who are trying to uncover sensitive information.
Whether due to hacking, a disgruntled employee or simply a flaw in software, data breaches are happening at a rapid pace and can result in loss of productivity for businesses as they try to identify and fix vulnerabilities. On average, it takes 280 days to identify and contain a data breach.
A hacker may steal your information to sell it on the Dark Web or use it in other ways such as credential stuffing. This is when someone’s leaked login credentials are used dozens of times on a variety of sites and apps, potentially granting attackers access to your email, social media or bank account.
A data breach can also be the result of a physical point of sale attack in which a hacker uses a card scanner at a store or ATM to record credit or debit information. This is most common at restaurants and retail stores, but can happen anywhere where people are using cards for payment. Other examples include a university breach in which alumni contact details are leaked or a hospital attack in which medical records are posted online. It’s important to assess each case on its own merits and whether or not the resulting risks warrant informing individuals.