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Data Breach

A data breach occurs when hackers steal or otherwise expose sensitive information about a company’s customers, employees, vendors or other stakeholders. This information can include financial information, passwords and personal identifiers such as names, addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth.

Attackers typically infiltrate systems to steal or exploit information for profit or malicious intent. They may gain access by brute force attacks, buying stolen credentials on the dark web or phishing employees to unwittingly disclose logins. They can also physically break into offices to obtain paper documents, physical hard drives or other devices, or place skimming devices on point-of-sale systems to obtain payment card information.

A lack of encryption is another common cause of data breaches. If a website doesn’t use SSL/TLS encryption to secure transmissions, attackers can easily monitor traffic and see confidential data in plaintext. Misconfigured servers and applications can also leave data exposed to anyone who knows its location or the IP address.

Once an attacker gains access to the system, they can do whatever they want with it. They might sell the information, delete it or lock it to demand a ransom.

When a data breach is discovered, organizations must take immediate steps to identify the extent of the problem. They must move quickly to limit access and prevent the loss of forensic evidence. They should also work with a cybersecurity team to analyze the incident and determine the best course of action.