What is a Data Breach?
Data Breach happens when confidential or sensitive information is exposed due to unauthorized access by bad actors. This may be the result of hacking, malware, ransomware, skimming, or a simple misplaced or stolen device. Commonly compromised data includes credit card numbers, personal financial information, healthcare records, trade secrets, and national security matters. The most damaging outcome of a data breach is long-term brand damage and loss of trust from customers, potential clients, investors, and partners.
Many criminals sell data obtained from breaches on the dark web, putting people whose info was exposed at elevated risk of identity theft for years to come. In addition, people who have had their info stolen are often subject to fraudulent activity, such as suspicious charges on bank accounts.
Some of the more common reasons for a data breach include insider leaks from disgruntled employees, or a desire to harm an ex-employer, as well as malicious hackers who are either acting as lone wolves or as part of organized cybercrime rings. Unintentional employee mistakes or negligence are also a common reason for a data breach.
Having strong password protection and encryption on all devices helps to mitigate the risk of a breach. Additionally, a good practice is to always use the “lock” function on your devices and make sure to have passwords on all systems connected to your network. Lastly, consider storing all credentials in secure repositories and not in easily accessible locations like GitHub.