Big company data breaches affect you as well. Here’s how

Data breaches and leakage of personal data is a much more common problem than it is believed to be and can affect everyone from an individual to a large company. A person can be the victim of the theft of personal information, such as that from their bank accounts, and medical accounts, for criminals to access the resources they have on these platforms.

On a much broader level, many companies globally have been victims of the theft of strategic information, data, access to accounts, and resources. That lead to fraud, impersonation, and total data leakage, among other cyber-attacks that affect employees’ work, interests, and resources.

The best way to avoid this type of cyber-attack and the exposure of different types of personal data is by taking cybersecurity measures that help prevent data breaches and keep the information, resources, or assets of people or organizations safe. And to be ready for such situations, it is necessary to know what type of attack can occur.

Importance of data protection in companies:

As you could already realize, there is a lot of information that can be handled maliciously about a person or a company. Some personal data may seem to be inconsequential for cybercriminals, but we assure you that we all have sensitive information that, if leaked, can lead to serious consequences.

And consequences for whom? Well, for you. You, as an individual, are harmed if your sensitive data suffers a leak. So it is important to see how the entities that can store your information take responsibility and avoid any kind of attack or security breach.

But what is the importance of data protection in companies? Among the various reasons, these are the ones to name first:

– Prevents data from being misused in various environments. For example, exposing certain health information in a work setting can lead to employment discrimination.

– Prevents the information from being used for a purpose other than the one for which it was provided.

That is why every secure web portal and site should inform its users of its privacy policy. To avoid any kind of conflict in the future, the best solution is prevention. For this reason, it is essential to know how to protect personal data so that you can keep your sensitive information safe.

As you can see, it is becoming more and more important that both an individual and a company know how they can protect personal data. It is not a light issue, since the security and privacy of your information should not be violated. It is your right and your duty to keep away anyone who wants to ruin your privacy with bad intentions.

As experts in cybersecurity and professors of the Information Security online course mention, “in a world like the current one, information is very valuable, and our information, both personal and that of our company, is even more valuable. So, knowing about cybersecurity and how to avoid the action of cybercriminals in the company is currently essential”.

Here are the 5 most common data breach types:

1. Physical Theft:

This can be due to the infiltration of malicious people within the company. It can be as easy as putting a USB in a computer where the information they seek is located, and extracting sensitive documents. It can also happen due to improperly disposing of sensitive information so it can be extracted by others.

2. Cyberattacks:

It is one of the most common forms since it represents less risk for those who seek to extract information by not having to be physically in a place. With the collaboration of hackers, the servers or equipment of a person or company can be intervened, even for years, and without anyone noticing.

3. Internal attacks:

Many times, the enemy is at home and can go unnoticed for a long time. IBM Insider Threat Detection reports that insider threats account for 60% of cyberattacks, so be aware of collaborators and factors that could trigger an insider attack.

4. Data hijacking programs:

Also known as ransomware, these programs allow attackers to cover their tracks while hijacking important information for profit. The frequency with which it occurs is high, as the FBI estimates that there are more than 4,000 ransomware attacks per day.

5. Human error:

Making mistakes is extremely common among individuals, it is part of human nature, but this can put confidential company data or valuable resources at risk. Poor password protection or sending important information by mail to the wrong recipient are some examples of human errors.

Data breaches and leaks are a huge challenge for many cybersecurity experts, as any individual or organization, regardless of size, can be a victim of these actions. Once the victim’s information is stolen, it can be used for committing various crimes or sold on the deep web for the same purposes.

Useful tips to protect your data on the internet:

1. Check the privacy policy of your accounts:

In all social networks, you can configure who can and who cannot access the information and content of your profile. How? Almost without exception, by accessing your profile > settings > privacy. Make your accounts private and share content only with people you know.

2. Browse safe websites:

Avoid websites that request your data to provide access. A good way to know if a website is secure is to look at the address tab: if you see the letters “HTTPS://” before the “www.sitename.com”, don’t worry, the site is shielded.

3. Change your passwords regularly, and use numbers and symbols in them:

When someone tries to access your accounts, the password is the first wall they have to overcome, and maybe the last one. If your password is easily guessable (just like your username, or your date of birth) you are making it very simple for the cyber-criminal to steal your information. So, make sure to create strong passwords.

4. Beware of public Wi-Fi networks:

Avoid at all costs making transactions while connected to open networks. On these networks, hackers have free access to the information you send and receive from your computer, so always try to use password-protected networks or at least a VPN.

5. Do not accept people you are not sure you know:

It may seem logical to some, but that person who seems to be so interested in adding you as a friend may turn out to be a hacker, so why risk it? In that case, it is advisable to use Nuwber to check people you don’t know.