What is the data breach?
A data breach is an unwanted incident that exposes confidential and protected information. It includes unauthorized access to your private information.
A data breach may leak your information like social security number, bank account, email, phone numbers, and many other personal pieces of information.
Data breach can be accidental sometimes but it is mostly intentional by hackers.
It is a cybercriminal activity done by the hackers to hack the database of the company to expose your data and information.
This type of cyberattack is on the rise. Recently we heard the news about Foodmandu hacked, Vianet hacked and even TU hacking news. It seems our country is really weak in data privacy and security.
According to statistics, on average a cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds. There is a record of mass digital breaches worldwide. Let me explain you in little detail how data breaches occur
How Does a Data Breach Occur?
Data breaches occur in 3 different phases:
The research phase: First of all the hacker will look for vulnerabilities in the targeted company security system
The Attack: Once the attacker finds a weakness in the security, he or she may attempt to access information through a social network or a network attack.
Exfiltration: This is the last phase where data is extracted by the hacker. He may be able to work towards the information needed.
Why Do Data Breaches Occur?
Data breaches are accidental as well as incidental. But it mainly causes due to these reasons:
- Out of date systems
- Due to viruses and malware
- Human error i.e weak password, miscommunication
How Can a Data Breach Affect You?
Data breaches get your private data stolen and the information may include:
- Names
- Dates of birth
- Social Security numbers
- Emails
- Addresses
- Phone numbers
- Clinical/medical info
- Banking/credit info
- Credit card numbers
- Insurance claims
Data breaches Worldwide record in industry sector:
- Business: 644 incidents (43.7%)
- Health care/medical: 525 (35.6%)
- Education: 113 (7.7%)
- Banking/credit/financial: 108 (7.3%)
- Government/military: 83 (5.6%)
So it’s very important that you surf the internet safely and keep your account secure to prevent this unwanted data breaches. Learn here how to maintain safety online.
Here are some steps you should take it immediately, in case if your data is exposed in data breaches.
How can you recover if your data is exposed in a data breach?
- First of all, find out what kind of data was stolen.
- Contact your financial institution
- Change and strengthen your password for all accounts
- Check your credit reports
- Look for unusual suspicious activity
Its very important to maintain your data safety and privacy. Prevention is better than cure.
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