What is a Data Breach?
A data breach is a security incident in which sensitive, protected, or confidential information is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen, or used by an unauthorized individual. Breaches can result from hacking, insider threats, accidental exposure, or physical theft.
Types of Data Breaches
External Attacks
- Hacking and malware
- Phishing attacks
- SQL injection
- Ransomware
Insider Threats
- Malicious employees
- Negligent actions
- Credential misuse
Accidental Exposure
- Misconfigured systems
- Lost devices
- Unintentional disclosure
Physical Breaches
- Stolen hardware
- Document theft
- Unauthorized access
Breach Impact
Financial
- Regulatory fines
- Legal costs
- Remediation expenses
- Lost business
Reputational
- Customer trust loss
- Brand damage
- Media coverage
Operational
- System downtime
- Investigation costs
- Process changes
Breach Response
-
Identify and Contain
- Stop data loss
- Preserve evidence
-
Investigate
- Determine scope
- Identify cause
-
Notify
- Regulators
- Affected individuals
- Law enforcement
-
Remediate
- Fix vulnerabilities
- Improve controls
-
Review
- Lessons learned
- Process improvement