In the News
Data breaches in the U.S continue to occur at an alarming rate. In Two Billion Files Leaked in US Data Breaches in 2017, Tara Seals discusses the excessive quantity of files leaked due to data breaches in the U.S in 2017 alone. Seals breaks down the numbers for victims of malicious hacking, unintended disclosure, and physical loss, as well as the industries plagued by the most from leaks in 2017.
Our Take
It’s tempting to think that your data is safe as long as you only share with “legitimate” companies, but the data shows that even household names are vulnerable to breaches, from Equifax to Target to TMobile. Indeed, the industries that gather the most sensitive information–healthcare, for example–may be the biggest targets for hackers.
There are very few individuals whose personal information has not already been exposed by some breach over the past two decades. So what can we do with this information?
Recommendations
- Understand the risks associated with giving out personal information, whether on healthcare forms or social media, and only share what you have to
- Maintain unique passwords in case your credentials are compromised on one site and used on another
- Take advantage of credit monitoring services and check your financial and mail accounts regularly for anomalies