But any data breach can leave you at risk of identity theft if the hackers want to use that information against you. Its hard to forget the far-reaching Equifax blunder that exposed Social Security numbers, birth dates, home addresses, tax ID numbers, and drivers license information of potentially 148 million people.

How Bad Can Data Breaches be?

Data breaches hurt both individuals and organizations by compromising sensitive information. For the individual who is a victim of stolen data, this can often lead to headaches: changing passwords frequently, enacting credit freezes or identity monitoring, and so on.

What does a data breach lead to?

For individuals: identity theft is a major threat to data breach victims. Data leaks can reveal everything from social security numbers to banking information. Once a criminal has these details, they can engage in all types of fraud under your name.

Should you be worried about data breaches?

Remember, a data breach does not mean youre a victim -- or will be a victim -- of identity theft. Nor is all ID theft harmful to the same degree. The key is to distinguish the truly dangerous breaches from the merely annoying ones. Take it seriously if your Social Security number is compromised.

What are the consequences of breaching the Privacy Act?

Depending on the type of breach, the fine can range from $525,000 to $2.1 million for a body corporate and from $105,000 to $420,000 for any other entity[iv].

How can data breaches be prevented?

You can purchase security software and automate it to run on a continuous basis. Firewalls, anti-virus software, and anti-spyware software are important tools to defend your business against data breaches. Work closely with an internet security team or provider to set these up correctly.

Is data breach illegal?

As you can imagine, every state and federal definition of data breach differs slightly, however, the basic definition remains: The unlawful and unauthorized acquisition of personal information that compromises the security, confidentiality, or integrity of personal information.

Can I sue for privacy breach?

Many assume a right to privacy, but only recently have our Courts recognized a legal right for a person to actually sue another for damages for infringing on privacy. The legal protection is not called “invasion of privacy”, but rather “intrusion upon seclusion”.

How do security breaches happen?

According to statistics from a CompTIA study cited by shrm.org, “Human error accounts for 52 percent of the root causes of security breaches.” The specific nature of the error may vary, but some scenarios include: The use of weak passwords; Sharing password/account information; and. Falling for phishing scams.

How can healthcare breaches be prevented?

10 Tips to Prevent a Healthcare Data BreachConduct a Risk Assessment. Provide Continued HIPAA Education to Employees. Monitor Devices and Records. Encrypt Data & Hardware. Subnet Wireless Networks. Manage Identity and Access Stringently. Develop a Strict BYOD Policy. Examine Service-Level Agreements Carefully.More items •13 Dec 2018

Can you go to jail for a data breach?

Federal Notification Laws The federal government has been slow to pass a general nationwide data breach law. The bill adds some additional teeth, including a penalty; if an individual intentionally and willfully conceals a data breach, they could face up to five years in jail.