Overview
A data breach is an event in which an organization or individual has their data accessed unwillingly. This can happen accidentally but is usually done intentionally by a bad actor. Data theft then refers to the natural next step that follows a breach. Cyber criminals often use the stolen data to cause financial or even physical harm.
Insights
Data Breaches and Data Theft
According to Verizon, 71% of all data breaches are financially motivated
The human element was involved in 82% of all breaches analyzed over the past year.
There will be one ransomware attack every 11 seconds.
By 2025, cybercrime is estimated to cost $10 trillion every year.
Security Tactics
How to Identify Compromised Security
The following are common symptoms of a data breach. If you notice any of these on your devices, reach out to IT or your device provider for guidance:
- Your anti-virus software alerts you to a potential problem
- Large amounts of storage disappear suddenly
- Your device spontaneously reboots or shuts down
- New or unknown files appear on your device
- Pop-ups suddenly appear
- Your device suddenly slows drastically
- Unusual messages, sounds, or displays appear
- The mouse pointer on a laptop moves by itself
- Multiple files download, if you only expect a single file
