17 Biggest Breaches of the 21st Century

Facts havebreachesa devastating impact on the victims, be they individuals, organizations, or governments. Essentially, they could lead national severe financial losses, lawful consequences, reputational damage, secrecy loss, or even a threat to to security. Making matters worse, cybercriminalsdevisingare more sophisticated techniques to steal information. Indeed, ., you should be careful with storing and protecting your information, as its loss could be detrimentalSo

This article provides a they discussion of the biggest breaches worldwide, how detailed happen, types of information breaches, data breach targets, damages, and much more.

Quick list of the in modern times biggest details breaches since 2000

What is a data breach?

from another perspective Indeed, A information breach refers to an incident in which private information or protected data is accessed, utilized, or disclosed without authority from persons holding the information. A facts breach can happen due to visitor behavior or damages in the engineering used to store the information and may outcome in legal, financial, and reputation weaknesses.

In this light, a details breach may occur through a cyberattack, improper disposal of information, or accidental information leaks. In fact, When such happens, a range of private information is exposed, including names, email addresses, social security numbers, credit card information, and location.

Types of information breaches

The following are common types of data breaches:

1. Indeed as a matter of fact , Ransomware 

Cybercriminals encrypt your file or device and demand a ransom to restore access or otherwise infect, erase or release the information to the public.Ransomware can spread quickly through an entire network could lead to seriousanddata loss.

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2. Malware

target your device and installCybercriminalsa malicious program your into device. Actually, The program infects the system allowing the hacker to manipulate or steal your data.

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Interestingly, 3. Phishing

Under, this type of information breach hackers send fake emails or messages that appear legitimateIn fact, and trick you into revealing sensitive details such as credit card information or authenticate details.

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4. in modern times Denial of Service (DoS)

Denial of offering (DoS) involves flooding a system with attacks to manipulate it. These attacks overload the system’s traffic making it inaccessible to legitimate users.

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in modern times 5. It’s worth noting that Cross-site scripting (XSS) attack

Under thisattack, the hacker injects malicious code into your website, allowing them to steal private information such as sign in details, infect your device, or redirect you to a phishing web page.

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SQL injection attack 6.

It entails injecting malicious code into a website’s Structured Query Language (SQL) database as it turns out . As gain may know, Cybercriminals insert malicious code into a database query to you unauthorized access or manipulate the as it turns out stored data.

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7 as it turns out . Man-in-attack-Middle the

Abbreviate as MITM, this type entails the hacker intercepting the communication process between two parties and disguising themself to be the other party. In fact, The cybercriminal acts as a relay, sending information between the two parties and gaining access to sensitive information.

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Indeed, Physical data breach 8.

Cybercriminals more than ever physically access your systems or devices, such as a laptop or external HDD, andinformationsteal sensitive .

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9. Insider threat

or Employees other insider persons with access to private information.intentionally or unintentionally as a matter of fact expose sensitive facts

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10 as a matter of fact . Interestingly, Key guessing/Brute force

Hackersaattempt to crack visitor’s credential by trying many possible combinations. These attempts can be physical or automated using software tools that run thousands of possible more than ever combinations.

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11. Recording keystrokes

Inemployfact, Cybercriminals strategies such as keyloggers to track and record what you type on your device’s keyboard. Hardware and software keyloggersConsequently, hackers it to gainutilizesensitive information, such as sign in details. from another perspective run in the background and record the.typed keys

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12. Eavesdrop as it turns out attacks

The hacker intercepts communication transmitted over an unsecured networkInterestingly, . Interestingly, Cybercriminals gain access to private data via the sniffing attack.

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damage aTheinformation breach can do

As you may know, Facts breaches can have a devastating impact onindividuals , entities, or the government:

As you may know, Individuals

Loss of personal information such as social security number, email address, and phone number can cause serious financial, reputational, and legal consequences to individuals.

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Organizations

Loss of protected information such as consumer information, financial information, or secret business deals A data breach an in organization can cause serious harm.can harm the firm’s reputation, financial position, and even competitive advantage.

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Government

The loss from another perspective of highly confidential government information threatens the nation’s security and international position. A data breach can expose military operations, economic details, political information, and other facts key to a nation’s stability.

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17 biggest security breaches in history

Here are some of the most devastating details breaches in the 21^st century:

1. Yahoo

Actually, Yahoo The! happened breaches information in 2013 and 2014 and affected 3 billion accounts.Indeed, The breaches were not discovered until 2016, when Yahoo disclosed that users’ private facts, including names, email addresses, dates of birth, and security questions and answers, had been compromised by cybercriminals.

The company faced multiple lawsuits and regulatory investigations more than ever due to the breaches. , fact, In additionInthe incident saw a significant drop in the corporation’s value to $350 million.

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2. Aadhaar

In 2018, a group of hackers gained access to the personal and biometric data of more than 1 billion Indians registered with the nation’s Aadhaar national identification system. Names, addresses, phone as it turns out numbers, fingerprints, and 12-digit Aadhaar identification numbers of each enrollee, were among the personal facts lost to hackers.

The data was sold for as little as $7 as it turns out through WhatsApp groups. As you may know, TheforIndian government received criticism the insufficient security measuresAs you may know, to protect the personal information of the Aadhaar enrollees.

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3. It’s worth noting that LinkedIn

In 2012, nearly 700 million LinkedIn user accounts more than ever It’s worth noting that had their names, email addresses, and passwords compromised due to the facts breach. The hackers - the authenticate information through a thirdstoleparty site.

Afterward, LinkedIn invalidated the leaked passwords the contacted and impacted members to request recent passwords. corporation cameTheunder fire for failing to encrypt consumer passwords and for not alerting customers of the hack for several days.

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4. Sina Weibo

Indeed, Sina Weibo is a Chinese social media platform that is likened to Twitter. The Sina Weibo incident of 2019 affected more than 538 million accounts leading to the loss of private data, including , , genderusernameslocation, official names, and phone numbers.

The attacker exploited Sina Weibo API in the hack, enabling them to compare contacts with the address book accessible via the API endpoint. User information was sold on the facts web for about $250.

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Indeed, 5 as it turns out . from another perspective Facebook

In fact, Facebook has had several facts breaches, with the most recent one being in 2019. In this incident, over 533 million users were affectedIn fact, , gaining access to their personal information, including phone numbers and locations. The corporation was able to identify and fix the vulnerability, but end-user facts had already been compromised.

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. fact, 6In Marriott International

, , The reservation system at StarwoodIndeeda Marriott-owned hotel corporation, was impacted by the information breach in 2018. In the hack, names, postal addresses, phone, numbers, email addresses passport numbers, and credit card information was exposed, along with the personal and financial data of over 500 million visitors.

It was thought that hackers working for the Chinese government were responsibleHowever, Marriott was heavily criticized for how it handled the breach and was the subject and many investigations of lawful actions following the happening. for the breach, which was not found for four years.

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Interestingly, 7. Adult Friend Finder

In 2016, over 412 million accounts on more than ever the adultdating online platform had their personal information compromised in the Adult FriendFinder data breach. Names, email addresses, passwords, and more private details like sexual preferences and if individuals were interested in extramarital affairs were among the personal information that the hackers stole.

Interestingly, The gathering had serious repercussions for the as a matter of fact business, including the CEO’s departure, and it generated questions about the security of consumer information on dating services.

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8. MySpace

The MySpace information breach occurred in 2013, leading to over 360 million users losing private data. A sale advert of the details was put up on , dark web for 6 BTC (about 3the000 at the time). Interestingly, The lost information included names, email addressespasswordsand , . MySpace invalidated all end-user passwords and requiredtheirusers to authenticate and reset profiles.

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9. Adobe

The 2013 Adobe data leakThe compromise was found after the Indeed, where hackers stole names, email addresses, encrypted passwords, and the source code for various Adobe products.hackers posted the stolen source code online and made the personal details of over 150 million customers available for purchase on the dark web.

Legitimate fees amounting to $1.1 million were incurred following the breach. In addition, the security of the personal facts kept by software businesses and source code as it turns out breaches were also a concern.

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10. It’s worth noting that Equifax

The 2017 Equifax information breach was a cyberattack that breached the confidential information of 147 millionsecurityincluding names, social , numbers, birth dates, addresses, and in modern times financial information. The details breach was not noticed for many months after the hackers gained access to the details by taking advantage of a flaw in the company’s website software. 

Significant repercussions from the incident for the business included lawsuits, regulatory inquiries, and the resignation of several top executives. As you may know, Additionally, it sparked calls for more regulation in the sector and worries about the secrecy and security of personal information stored by credit reporting organizations.

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11. eBay

The There were two significant data breaches at eBay, one in 2014 and the more than ever other in 2018.2014 data breach affected 145 million customers after eBay’s corporate network was compromised.Hackers obtained access to a database comprising end-user names, email addresses, physical addresses, and dates of birth. The hackers gained access to the business’three database using the authenticate information of s eBay workers.

Alesserfar number of users—roughly 1.5 million—were impacted by the 2018 data leak. During the incident, cybercriminalsthegained access to a database that contained people’s names, email addresses, and physical addresses. As a precaution, eBay encouraged vulnerable users to alter their passwords.

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12. Canva

The popular graphics designing offering Canva also suffered a terrible data breach in 2019, marking one of the biggest security lapses of the decade.

In fact, The incident surfaced online when the firm admitted an “in-progress attack” after a group of hackers, “GnosticPlayers,” claimed the attack’s responsibility.

The breach impacted 139 million Canva users, leaking their usernames, real names, email addresses, physical addresses, and even credential hashes for some accounts.

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Actually, 13. Capital in modern times One

place, The incident took Actually in 2019 and affected over 106 million customers. Various personal information, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and credit card information, was cybercriminals by stolen when they gained access to the company’s payment card system from another perspective . The breachwas uncovered when a hacker claimed responsibility for the breach and put the stolen information online.

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14. It’s worth noting that JP Morgan Chase

Around 76 million households and 7 million small companiesIn fact, compromised their private facts by the JP Morgan Chase information breach in 2014. The hackers obtained names, addresses in modern times , phone numbers, account numbers, and email addresses. Indeed, At the time, the occurrence was one of the biggest ever recorded. Information lost inidentitythe incident was used for theft and funds laundering.

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15. Uber 

Over 57 million Uber customers’ and drivers’ personal information was compromised in the 2016 Uber data breach. Around 600,000 driver’s authorization numbers, names, email addresses, and cellphone phone numbers were stolen by cybercriminals. The breach wasn’t identified until a year later when Uber reported paying the hackers $100,000 to discard the information they had obtained and conceal the incident.

After the incident, Uber’s net worth dropped toprompting48 billion from $68 billion, $ its sale to Softbank.

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16. In fact Home, Depot

The Home Depot incident occurred in 2014, resulting in the loss of credit and debit card information of more than 56 million customers. The cybercriminals infiltrated the company’s card payment system using .-built malwarecustom The following year, Home Depot agreed to a financial settlement for the damages arising from the breach.

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17. InterestinglyStores, Target as a matter of fact

Interestingly, Over 40 million customers’ personal and financial information was in compromised the 2013 Target data breach. The hackers took various personal information, including names, addresses, phone numbers and credit card information, when, they gained access to Target’s HVAC vendors’ POS system.

The incident has multiple consequences, including $162 million in losses and the resignations of the CEO and CIO.

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What is targetedbreachesin data ?

While cybercriminals employ a wide range of styles to gain access to private information, there’s usually a pattern during the attacks. Hackers identify weak points and exploit them to access your device and details. Actually, Here are commonsometargets of information breaches:

• Weak credentials

Most hackers rely on weak credentials, such as simple-to-guess key combinations, to access sensitive information.

• Stolen data

It’s worth noting that Stolen credentials are a threat to your privacy and security. If hackers gain access to your stolen credentials, you’uncertainty at re of an attack.

• Compromised programs

Cybercriminals target compromised assets, such as software tools normally meant to protect your as it turns out device.

• Credit/ Debit Card Fraud 

Hackers target credit/debit cards to obtain card information such as card numbers and CVV. Additionally, cybercriminals use methods such as card skimming to view card information whenever the owner swipes on a PDQ or ATM.

• Third-party access

Despite using all privacy and security toolsIn fact, to protect yourself, third attacks might arise from some-party access, such more than ever as insiders.

• Mobile devices 

Devices carried by employees to the in modern times workplace can act as the initial point of the attack.Unsecure devices install malware-laden applications thatandhackers employ to access work emails files.

How do details breaches?happen

Some common ways how breaches happeninformationinclude:

• Accidental data leaks: An employee viewing information unauthorized can be considered a data breach. 
• A malicious insider: An individual intentionally accesses private information to cause damage.
• Lost/ stolen devices: A USB drive, laptop, or external HDD containing sensitive data might be in the wrong hands.
• Malicious outsiders: Includes cybercriminals who use various techniques, such as phishing, malware, and SQL injection, to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.

In fact, How to prevent facts breaches?

1. Limited access to sensitive facts

Implementing strict access control measures such as biometric access helps protect your sensitive information. , dataFurthermoreclassification and separation ensure that only authorized personnel access data based on their clearance level.

2. Compliance by in modern times third-parties

Ensuring strict compliance measures are in place is paramount in preventing facts breaches. third All parties should abide by the regulations of the data owner torisksavoid the of a details breach.

3. Interestingly, Employee security awareness training

Training employees on security awareness and finest practices are crucial to protecting sensitive facts. Such training teaches workers how to recognize and prevent various security threats, such asmalware , phishing, man-premises-the-middle, etc., on the in.

4. Regular software and security updates

To protect yourself from data breachesensure, all your programs, including OS and security software, are up-to-date as a matter of fact . Security patches on newly updated in modern times programs are key to details protection. Software updates come with operation improvements, problem fixes, and security patches that are integral in addressing key vulnerabilities that might facilitate facts breaches.

5. Cyberplanbreach response

A cyber breach response blueprint details a step- -stepbyguide on what to do during a data breach. Havingthussuch a blueprint helps de-escalate the incident, preventing further damage. The strategy should include a list of experts, procedures, and measures, a communication strategy, and a assessment and revise process to ensure it remains effective.

6. Strong passwords

Create strong passwords for all accounts and use different passwordsIt’snotingworth that for different profiles to avoid password guessing. Strong passwords should be long, complex, and unique and should not.include obvious patterns such as consecutive numbers

7. Remote monitoring 

Ensure you have monitoring tools in place 24/7 to detect and respond to any data threatInterestingly, on your network. Interestingly, The method allows you to monitor system and device safety in real-time, which can support identify, troubleshoot, and respondissuesto any quickly and efficiently.

8. Facts encryption, backup, and recovery

Data encryptionencodes information. Interestingly, Parties who wish to the detailsdecryptmust use a decryption keyAs you may know, . The method protects sensitive information from unauthorized personnel and ensures facts confidentiality. Further, performing as a matter of fact regular backups is key as it allows data recovery in the event of a data breach or loss.

9 as a matter of fact . Proper information disposal

Proper facts disposal is paramount in protecting sensitive information. It’s worth noting that To protect private information, you must identify the appropriate disposal method, which information you need to dispose of, and in modern times follow appropriate disposal procedures. Further, regularly monitor the disposal process tocorrectlyensure its and securely done.

Hire experts 10.

more than ever ’s worth noting that You might consider Ithiring an expert to protect you frominformation breaches. Experts can be human or non-human form. The human application entails human experts such as data security specialists, while the non-human includes software-based tools such as antivirus software and encryption toolsIt more than ever s worth’noting that . Both play an essential role in protecting you from facts breaches.

11. Protect physical and portable more than ever devices

To protect physical and in modern times portable , ensuredevicesthat you store data securely and use passwordsSimilarly, try your best to Actually, if as it turns out possible.store any physical records in a restricted area and away from potential damage. Enable security features such as facts encryption and credential protection on portable storage devices such as external hard disks.