There were 164.6 million successful data breaches in the last year, and COVID-19 has only increased the chances for your personal or business data to be attacked by hackers. Data breaches are extremely dangerous whether it affects your personal or business data.
For business, a breach can mean hundreds of thousands lost. For you personally, it can mean identity theft and an empty bank account.
Don’t want this to happen to you? Read on to learn about the 5 most common types of data breaches and how to stay protected.
1. Stolen Passwords
Password guessing is an extremely common way to have your data stolen. If you or your employees have a weak password, hackers can easily guess it and gain access to sensitive information. This can also happen if you write down your password and leave it somewhere where it’s vulnerable to be stolen.
It’s suggested that you use strong passwords that don’t include any personal information that’s easy to guess, including names and birthdays. You should also use different passwords for all login information. This makes it so that if one is hacked, they don’t automatically have access to everything else too.
2. Phishing
Phishing occurs when hackers create sites that look real but aren’t. Often times they mimic websites you’re familiar with so that you sign into them only to realize it’s not the real site after all, and they now have your login information. This is especially damaging for law firms and phishing hacks because businesses like these rely on confidentiality and secure data.
To prevent phishing, use security software, keep your systems updated, and use multifactor authentication.
3. Viruses and Malware
One of the most common types of data breaches is malware and viruses. Malware has the potential to erase valuable company data, which is lost information that can be costly to replace and impacts business functioning. Ironically, malware has a tendency to pose as protective software.
Best practices against malware are to invest in real malware security protection and to be wary and conscious of the emails you open.
4. Ransomware
Ransomware is software that gains access to your files, data, or systems and then locks them down before requesting that you pay a fee to regain access. This is just one reason why 66% of businesses that do get hacked aren’t confident in their ability to recover. Ransomeware frequently comes in the form of popups, emails, and even a stranger calling you.
to protect against ransomware, verify the senders of your emails, and keep your computer and phone updated. In the case of any data breach, always have your data securely backed up.
5. Denial of Service (DOS)
Denial of Service most commonly impacts large businesses. This occurs when hackers remove a company’s access to their own websites or systems, making it impossible to function as usual.
It’s always a good idea to develop a response plan in case this happens to your business and to outsource your data to cloud-based services.
Keep Safe from Data Breaches
No matter the size of your company, data breaches can mean the end. Even as an individual, hackers have the power to steal your money and ruin your life. As our lives continue to move online and become more efficient, it’s more important than ever that you know how to protect yourself.
If you found this article helpful, be sure to visit our blog regularly for more like it.
Rene Bennett is a graduate of New Jersey, where he played volleyball and annoyed a lot of professors. Now as Zobuz’s Editor, he enjoys writing about delicious BBQ, outrageous style trends and all things Buzz worthy.
