What is a Data Breach?
Data Breach is a cyberattack that exposes confidential, private, or protected information to someone who isn’t authorized to access it. This can include both personal information (Social Security numbers, credit card details, medical records) and corporate information (customer data, intellectual property).
A Data Breach can happen when a cyberattacker exploits flaws in a system or a device to access sensitive information. This can be done through phishing, ransomware, malware, skimming, or other hacks. It can also be done through internal attacks like insider risk, unpatched vulnerabilities, or even physical theft of a device such as a laptop, mobile phone, or external hard drive.
One of the biggest Data Breach examples came in 2013 when Yahoo was targeted and hackers gained access to all 3 billion users’ names, birthdates, phone numbers, email addresses, passwords, security questions and answers, and more. The extent of the breach wasn’t discovered until Verizon was about to purchase the company, and it ultimately reduced its offer by $350 million.
The ramifications for individual victims of a Data Breach can be severe, with the most common being identity theft. When a criminal gets their hands on an individual’s personal information, they can use it to steal money, ruin credit ratings, and cause other financial problems for the victim. The same goes for government agencies, where the leak of military operations, national infrastructure data, and political strategy could endanger a country’s citizens. This type of damage isn’t easy for organizations to repair, but there are ways they can protect themselves against future breaches and mitigate the effects of those that occur.