The rise of smartphones and social media led to the interconnectedness of devices, and constant technology upgrades are happening faster than the protection against them. Hackers are always looking to exploit the deficiencies. How Data Breaches Occurĭata breaches, in general, occur due to weaknesses in systems and user behavior. Data breaches can potentially ruin the reputation of prominent organizations, destroy lives, and can be costly to remedy through costs of investigation, redress, victim compensation, fines, etc. They are largely carried out by cybercriminals or hackers for financial gain, espionage, terrorism, politics, or other reasons. Contact details (names, physical addresses, e-mails)ĭata breaches are a common occurrence due to technological advancement and the sheer amount of information in digital form.Personal identification information (passwords, PIN (personal identification number), Social Security number).Financial data (credit card, banking details).Technically, a data breach is a violation of security protocol for an organization or individual in which confidential information is copied, transmitted, viewed, and stolen by an unauthorized person.ĭata breaches involve theft or loss of private information, such as: The breach can be intentional or accidental.

A data breach refers to an incident in which secure, sensitive, and confidential information is accessed and exposed to an unauthorized and untrusted environment.