On a general notion, data breaches are essentially any instances in which an unauthorized individual or organization has access to, views, or steals sensitive or secret information. It can happen when a person, team, or company acquires unauthorized access to a computer, network, database, or other type of digital storage system that houses sensitive data.
Moreover, cyberattacks, human mistakes, and software flaws are just a few of the causes of data breaches. In addition, personal data, including names, addresses, credit card details, and social security numbers, may be stolen as a result of a breach. Misusing such data for financial fraud, identity theft, or other illegal crimes is then feasibly possible.
For businesses, data breaches can have serious effects that can include financial losses, legal liabilities, and reputational damage. Businesses must take precautions to avoid data breaches and have a plan in place for responding to one should it happen.
Businesses may encounter a number of distinct types of data breaches, including the following:
| Phishing attacks | Here, hackers utilize phony emails or websites to dupe staff into disclosing private data, like login credentials or financial information. |
| Malware attacks | Sensitive data can be stolen or encrypted from a company’s computer systems by malware, such as viruses or ransomware. |
| Insider threats | These take place when staff members, subcontractors, or other insiders unintentionally or maliciously reveal private information. This can have happened as a result of carelessness, improper training, or intentional purpose. |
| Physical theft or loss | This can happen when tangible items, such as laptops, smartphones, or paper records, that contain sensitive data are stolen or misplaced. |
| Third-party breaches | This occurs when a vendor or other third party with possession of a company’s data suffers a breach, possibly disclosing the sensitive data of the company. |
| Social engineering | This includes compelling workers to disclose confidential details or taking steps that might result in a data breach. Techniques like imitation, pretexting, and baiting can be used in this. |
Many times, this technological world has seen various data breach examples. In addition, data breaches have done a lot of damage to many reputed companies throughout the world.
Moreover, some of the notable data breach examples are given below:
| Equifax | A data breach at the credit reporting company Equifax in 2017 resulted in the exposure of the private info of some 147 million individuals, containing their names, social security numbers, birth dates, and residences. |
| Target | A data breach at Target in 2013 resulted in the exposure of the credit and debit card details of 40 million consumers as well as the private information of about 70 million clients, comprising names, addresses, and phone numbers. |
| Yahoo | Two consecutive data breaches at Yahoo in 2013 and 2014 resulted in the exposure of all 3 billion of its customers’ private data, containing names, email addresses, phone numbers, and security questions and answers. |
| Marriott | A data breach at Marriott in 2018 resulted in the exposure of so much confidential info of over 500 million clients, namely their names, addresses, phone numbers, passport numbers, and payment card details. |
| Capital One | A data breach at Capital One in 2019 resulted in the exposure of the personal data of about 100 million clients, containing their names, addresses, credit ratings, and social security numbers. |
Data breaches may be financially and reputationally disastrous for several firms and organizations. You can take the following actions to protect your company from data breaches:
About How To Save Your Business From Data Breaches?
1: How to prevent data breach in company?
By utilizing the following methodologies, a person can nicely prevent data breaches in a company:
2: How to protect your business from hackers?
If you wish to protect your business from hackers, you can adopt the following best practices:
3: What to do if your business has a data breach?
There are numerous actions you should consider if your company encounters a data breach to limit the harm and safeguard your company:
4: How do I protect myself from data breaches?
You can sincerely protect yourself from any data breaches by using the following processes:
In the bottom line, we have attempted all the methods to provide you with a crucial piece of information related to knowing how to save your business from data breaches. Moreover, if you wish to know more about the same concept of data breaches or any other phenomenon related to cyber security, then you may join Craw Security, the best cyber security training institute in Singapore. Call us at +65-93515400 to know more about the upcoming batches and other relevant info from our highly experienced educational counselors team.
