What is a Data Breach?
Data Breach is a cybersecurity mishap that occurs when data, either personal or corporate intellectual property, falls into the wrong hands. It may be the result of unauthorized modification, deletion, or exfiltration.
Hackers are constantly looking for ways to breach data systems and sell or use it for malicious purposes. This includes stealing personally identifiable information (PII) and corporate intellectual property for financial gain. Depending on the data that has been compromised, a company’s reputation with customers, clients, and employees may also be damaged.
To get into a computer system, hackers will often use social engineering tactics. This could include sending an email that is specially crafted to phish for information or contain malware that will automatically execute once downloaded by the victim’s device. They may also use botnets, which are infected computers that have been used to attack others.
A well-known example of a data breach is the hacking of Yahoo in 2013 and 2014. This incident exposed 3 billion Yahoo accounts with personal information including names, birthdates, email addresses, phone numbers, and unencrypted security questions and answers.
Often, breaches are the result of bad digital habits by users and businesses alike. With the rise of smart home devices, many of which are being sold without adequate security testing, it has become easier for attackers to get into networks. Passwords should be strong, unique, and regularly changed for maximum protection. Companies should also make sure their employees are using complex passwords and that their devices have the latest security updates.