Data breach victims skyrocket over 1,100%: How to protect yourself

Data breaches have become quite common in 2024. In the first half of the year alone, we’ve seen some of the biggest ones yet, including cyberattacks on Ticketmaster, Advance Auto Parts, and Dell. To put it in perspective, the number of data breach victims in the second quarter of 2024 was 1,170% higher than at the same time last year. This means more people had their personal data stolen, which could be sold to data brokers or misused by hackers to steal money. I discuss the rise in data breach victims in more detail below, along with some tips and tricks to protect yourself from being impacted.

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Data breaches are on the rise

The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), a well-known nonprofit that helps victims of identity crime, has shared its data breach findings for the second quarter (Q2) and the first half (H1) of 2024. The ITRC recorded 1,041,312,601 data breach victims in Q2 2024, a huge jump of 1,170 percent from Q2 2023, which had 81,958,874 victims.

Most of the rise in breach numbers is due to a few very large compromises. The ITRC points to Prudential, which affected 2.5 million people, and Infosys McCamish Systems, which impacted 6 million people, as major contributors. Both breaches were announced or updated in the second quarter of 2024, significantly boosting the overall numbers.

In Q2, there were 732 publicly reported data breaches, a 12 percent drop from the previous quarter’s 838 breaches. For the first half of the year, the ITRC tracked 1,571 breaches, which is about 14 percent higher than H1 2023. Last year ended with a record 3,203 breaches.

The ITRC revealed that nearly 90% of compromises in the first half of 2024 stemmed from data breaches. The financial services sector experienced the highest number of breaches, followed by healthcare. The largest breaches in terms of the number of victims were Ticketmaster, affecting 560 million customers, Advance Auto Parts with 380 million victims, and Dell, impacting 49 million users.

 

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Hackers are also looking for your IDs

One trend the ITRC has noticed is the increasing value and use of stolen driver’s license information. In the first half of 2024, driver’s license data was taken in 25 percent of data breaches.

This rise shows a trend where driver’s licenses are being used more for identity verification, increasing the value of the stolen data for hackers. In pre-pandemic 2019, there were 198 breaches involving stolen driver’s license data, compared to 636 in 2023 and 308 through June 30, 2024.

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How to protect yourself from data breaches?

When you sign up for a service, whether it’s a social media platform or a healthcare provider, it’s the company’s responsibility to protect your data. If your data gets leaked, it’s almost never your fault. So, many of the preventive measures below are for when you’re impacted by a data breach.

1) Change your passwords

If a data breach has leaked your passwords, change it immediately. Hackers could use your password to access your online accounts and steal your data or money. ON ANOTHER DEVICE (i.e., your laptop or desktop), you should change your passwords for all your important accounts, such as email, banking, social media, etc.

You want to do this on another device so the hacker isn’t recording you setting up your new password on your hacked device. And you should also use strong and unique passwords that are hard to guess or crack. You can also use a password manager to generate and store your passwords securely. Changing passwords should be a part of your general cybersecurity hygiene, even if you’re not affected by a data breach.

 

2) Enable two-factor authentication

Activate two-factor authentication (2FA) for an extra layer of security on all your important accounts, including email, banking, and social media. 2FA requires you to provide a second piece of information, such as a code sent to your phone, in addition to your password when logging in. This makes it significantly harder for hackers to access your accounts, even if they have your password. Enabling 2FA can greatly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and protect your sensitive data.

 

3) Monitor your accounts and transactions

If you have been affected by a data breach, check your online accounts and transactions regularly for any suspicious or unauthorized activity. If you notice anything unusual, immediately report it to the service provider or authorities. You should also review your credit reports and scores to see if there are any signs of identity theft or fraud.

 

4) Contact your bank and credit card companies

If hackers have obtained your bank or credit card information, they could use it to make purchases or withdrawals without your consent. You should inform your bank and credit card companies of the situation. They can help you freeze or cancel your cards, dispute any fraudulent charges, and issue new cards for you.

 

5) Use personal data removal services

Consider investing in personal data removal services that specialize in continuously monitoring and removing your personal information from various online databases and websites. I mentioned above that hackers are also stealing your IDs to validate the data. These IDs can be misused in more ways than you can imagine, including impersonation.

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6) Sign up for identity theft protection

If you’re certain that your personal information has been leaked in a data breach, sign up for an identity theft protection service. It can monitor personal information like your home title, Social Security Number (SSN), phone number, and email address and alert you if it is being used to open an account. These services can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.

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7) Alert your contacts

If hackers have accessed your email or social media accounts, they could use them to send spam or phishing messages to your contacts. They could also impersonate you and ask for money or personal information. You should alert your contacts and warn them not to open or respond to any messages from you that seem suspicious or unusual.

 

8) Have strong antivirus software

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Kurt’s key takeaway

Data breaches are becoming increasingly common, making it essential to protect yourself. While companies are responsible for safeguarding your information, taking steps like changing passwords and monitoring your accounts can significantly reduce potential damage if your data is compromised. Staying alert and proactive is crucial in today’s digital world to keep your personal information secure.

Do you think companies should be held liable and face legal punishment when they compromise your personal data? Let us know in the comments below. 

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