What is a data breach?
A beginner's guide to protecting your personal information
Even if you’re barely follow the news, you’ve probably heard of at least one data breach at a major company. Microsoft, Equifax, Revolut, Uber and many others have been victims of data breaches, exposing the personal information of millions of people. But what is a data breach? What do you do to prevent it?
What is a data breach?
A data breach is a security incident in which information is copied, stolen, or accessed without authorization. This can happen when hackers gain access to a computer system or network, or when sensitive data is left unsecured. Although the consequences can be similar, a data breach is not to be confused with a data leak, which is when sensitive data is accidentally exposed to the public without the owner’s consent.
Whether a data breach or a data leak, the consequences can be serious with such exposures resulting in identity theft, financial loss, and damage to reputation.
What data is typically exposed in a data breach?
According to Statista , the third quarter of 2022 was unfortunately marked by the exposure of nearly 15 million records. Government issued ID numbers (Social Security, National Insurance, etc.), credit card numbers, and contact information are some of the most commonly compromised data points. However, other sensitive data such as private photos, videos, or documents can also be subjected to exposure.
Once your data is exposed, there’s a risk that it could be used for identity theft, fraud or even blackmail. This is why it’s important to keep an eye on your credit report and financial accounts for any suspicious activity.
There are steps you can take to protect your personal information online, such as using strong passwords and two-factor authentication. But even if you take all the necessary precautions, there’s always a risk that your data could be exposed in a breach. So it’s a necessity to be vigilant and stay up-to-date on the latest news about data breaches, using a services like Have I Been Pwned to check if any of your accounts might have been compromised.
Minimising exposure
Use strong, unique passwords for each service
If you use the same password for all your accounts, a data breach at one company can expose your account at another. To prevent this, use different passwords for each of your online accounts.
Creating different passwords for each of your online accounts may seem like a daunting task, but there are a few simple steps you can take to make it easier. First, choose a strong password that is difficult to guess. A good password should be at least 8 characters long and include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.
Once you have a strong password, you can use it as the base for your other passwords. For example, if your password is “ilovecats”, you could use “ilovecats1” for one account, “ilovecats2” for another account, and so on. This will help you remember different passwords while still keeping them secure.
Finally, make sure to change your passwords regularly. Every few months, or even every few weeks, is a good idea. This will help keep your accounts safe even if one of your passwords is compromised.
By following these simple tips, you can help protect your personal information online and keep your accounts safe from data breaches.
Use a variety of email addresses and usernames
If you’re like most people, you have multiple online accounts - for email, social media, online shopping, banking, and more. And chances are, you’re using the same email address and username for most of them. But did you know that this could be putting your personal information at risk?
If one of your accounts is compromised - whether through a data breach or other security incident - your other accounts could be exposed as well. That’s because hackers often try using the same email address and password combination on multiple sites. If they’re successful in getting into one of your accounts, they’ll likely try using the same credentials on other sites as well.
To protect your personal information, it’s important to use different email addresses and usernames for each of your online accounts. That way, if one account is compromised, you won’t fall victim to a domino attack where other accounts are accessed as a result of the initial breach. If your email service doesn’t support multiple email addresses, it’s worth taking time to create a new account as it could make all the difference in keeping your personal information secure. If you’d like to create new address with a couple of clicks and managed them all under one account, consider trying Minmail .
Use a password manager
When it comes to online security, one of the most important things you can do is use a password manager. A password manager is a software application that helps you generate and store strong passwords for all your online accounts.
There are many benefits to using a password manager. First, it ensures that you are using strong and unique passwords for all your accounts. This is important because if a hacker were to gain access to one of your accounts, they would not be able to use that same password to access your other accounts.
Second, a password manager makes it easy for you to keep track of all your passwords. You no longer have to remember multiple complex passwords; instead, you can just remember one master password that gives you access to all your other passwords.
Finally, using a password manager can help prevent a data breach at one company from exposing your accounts at other companies. If a hacker gains access to the passwords stored by a company that uses weak security, they would be able to access any account that uses those same passwords. However, if you are using a password manager, the only account that would be exposed is the account with your password manager - which is much less likely to be breached.
So if you’re not already using a password manager, it’s a good idea to start now.
Take steps to protect yourself
It’s important to take steps to protect your personal information online. Strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication can help prevent data breaches, but it’s also important to be aware of the risks and stay up-to-date on the latest news. Use an email service like Minmail you can quickly and easily create unique addresses for each of your online accounts, managing them all in one place. Be vigilant about monitoring for suspicious activity as this will help keep your personal information safe. Don’t take the risk - take action to protect yourself from data breaches today.
Stay tuned.
