In today’s technological age, there are no two words that make people’s blood run cold faster than “data breach.” While 90% of large organizations in the UK experienced a data breach in 2015, they aren’t the only ones who are vulnerable. Hackers targeted small businesses that year, as well, sending 74% of them scrambling to secure their data. From financial information to personal information and passwords, it seems that everything is up for grabs by hackers.
Information isn’t only compromised by hackers, though. Sometimes employees make an innocent mistake and accidentally publish critical data. Information often gets leaked to outside sources. Computers and hard drives can get lost or stolen. While we’re constantly on the alert for security issues from without, sometimes the biggest problems can come from within.
In fact, the ten biggest data breaches were caused not just by hackers, but by leaks, configuration errors, and a basic lack of security. In some cases, sensitive client information such as addresses, e-mail addresses, and passwords were leaked or stolen. Such situations are at best, an inconvenience when it sends people scrambling to change passwords and update security questions. At worst, they can allow hackers the key to obtain passwords to financial accounts and other sensitive information. From Sony to the FBI and Apple, no organization—big or small—is immune to the danger posed by information leaks and hacks.
All of these issues make data security a must. As you scroll through this infographic of the Biggest 10 Data Breaches and Their Causes (brought to you by the team at Redpixie), think about the precautions your organization is taking in order to prevent a similar catastrophe from befalling you. Considering the endless potential for leaks, hacks, breaches can be quite overwhelming, but there are ways to patch the holes and ensure better security. By hiring experts to ensure that your data is secure, you can avoid becoming another data breach statistic.
