What is a Data Breach?
Data Breach is a security incident that exposes sensitive, confidential, or critical information to unauthorized individuals. This type of incident can be malicious, such as a hack or insider attack, or accidental, such as an employee emailing confidential files to the wrong person. The data that is exposed can include anything from personal health records and credit card details to intellectual property, such as research reports or source code.
Often, cyber criminals will use breached PII to commit identity theft or make illegal purchases. Those attacks can cost businesses a fortune, particularly in fines and settlements. They can also have significant ramifications for individuals, such as ruining their credit score or even their lives. For example, a hack of Yahoo resulted in more than 1.5 billion accounts being hacked and users losing access to their email and other services.
Companies should take the time to assess their current security measures and implement zero trust, a comprehensive approach that ensures all access is granted only after a proper risk assessment. They should also make sure to have a plan in place for responding quickly and appropriately to incidents that may arise.
Data breaches also have the potential to affect government organizations, who must comply with laws requiring them to notify affected individuals of their information exposures. These laws can vary by state, and some consider whether the data has been encrypted in determining notification requirements. This is why it’s important for those affected to check their local privacy laws and regulations.