In the News
Large security breaches continue to violate user privacy on online accounts. In Personal information of 14.8 million 500px users leaked in security breach, Andrew Liptak at The Verge discusses how almost 15 million accounts were breached at a popular online photo sharing site. Liptak explains that personal account information including the user location was accessed, but financial information was not exposed. Liptak states that the company is notifying those impacted by this incident and requiring new password creation.
Our Take
With the plethora of online accounts and applications, data breaches are bound to occur. This unfortunate reality has been happening at a far higher frequency that would be expected. The information typically stored in online accounts that do not require the input of financial information is surface level and often public knowledge. However, no one wants their personal information exposed.
Additionally, the 500px breach exposed password information, which can be dangerous if users reuse their passwords on multiple accounts. The practice of re-using passwords is quite common and makes it easier for malicious attackers to gain access to your account. While many companies handle data breaches poorly, it is nice to see a company taking the necessary steps to inform their user base in a somewhat timely manner.
Recommendations
How can you protect your personal information from exposure?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Be aware of default settings on mobile apps/accounts and turn on privacy settings as needed
- Use safe password practices, and take advantage of Multi-factor Authentication where possible
- Know your rights when it comes to data use and storage
- Stay up to date on recent data breaches and exposures to see if you have been impacted