{"id":150695,"date":"2021-06-03T04:58:51","date_gmt":"2021-06-03T11:58:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=150695"},"modified":"2022-06-02T15:36:52","modified_gmt":"2022-06-02T22:36:52","slug":"what-is-a-data-breach-and-how-do-you-avoid-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/tips-tricks\/what-is-a-data-breach-and-how-do-you-avoid-it\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Data Breach and How Do You Avoid It?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breach<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> occurs when cybercriminals steal information from an organization\u2019s database without permission from the owner or administrator. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Data breaches<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> are extremely common.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cybercriminals can steal a lot of <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">sensitive information<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> during a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breach<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, including <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/take-it-personally-ten-tips-for-protecting-your-personally-identifiable-information-pii\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">personally identifiable information<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">PII<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">), personal health information (PHI), company trade secrets, and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">credit card numbers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. When that information gets into the wrong hands, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">cybercriminals<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> can use it for personal gain.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Just because we live in an increasingly connected world doesn\u2019t mean we have to make theft easy for <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">hackers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. There are several ways to protect yourself from <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breaches<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and it all starts with understanding how they happen.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Why do <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breaches<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> happen?<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Our <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">personal data<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> is extremely valuable, which is why <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">cybercriminals<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> want it so bad and are willing to take it through nefarious means. Here are a few things criminals might try to do when they have your data:\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"8\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">They can use your <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">credit card<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> or <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">financial information<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to make purchases.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"8\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">They can use your <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">health insurance<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> information to pay for <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">health care<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> procedures and medication.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"8\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">They can create a fake identity with your <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Social Security number<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (SSN) and other <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">personal data<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and use it to apply for loans.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"8\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">They can sell company trade secrets to other businesses.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"8\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">They can sell personal information to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/the-rise-of-the-dark-web-gig-economy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">bidders on the dark web<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 aria-level=\"3\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">What information is typically targeted in a <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">data breach<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:320,&quot;335559739&quot;:80,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Before <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">hackers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> try to breach an organization, they look for weaknesses in the organization\u2019s network. They may decide to attack holes in a company\u2019s <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data security<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> systems or even try to coerce employees into revealing authorization credentials.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Here are a few of the main things <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">hackers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> target when they breach an organization:\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Weak passwords:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> If a company\u2019s network passwords aren\u2019t strong, it won\u2019t take long for <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">hackers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to figure them out.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Internet of things (<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">IoT<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">):<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Some employees may use <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">mobile devices<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to log into networks or store authorization credentials.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Third parties:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> If a criminal can\u2019t access a business\u2019s database directly, they might be able to hack one of the company\u2019s business partners. By hacking a third-party network, criminals can gain indirect access to their target company\u2019s information.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Employees:<\/span><\/b> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">Hackers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> can launch <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">social engineering<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> schemes to deceive employees into giving them <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">unauthorized access<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to information. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Data breach<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> examples<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Both attacks from outside an organization or from people working inside a company can cause <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breaches<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. We\u2019ll explain the differences between internal and external <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breach<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> threats in the next few sections. We\u2019ll also give you some examples to help you understand each type of breach.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 aria-level=\"3\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Insider <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">data breach<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> threats<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">An insider <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breach<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> threat comes from someone who works for or is involved with a company. There are both malicious and accidental insider <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breach<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> threats. Malicious breaches occur when an insider purposely leaks information. Accidental breaches occur when an insider accidentally leaks information.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A malicious insider abuses their access to people\u2019s personal information. They willfully leak <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">personal data<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> with criminal intent. A malicious insider might be a current employee looking for a financial windfall or a disgruntled ex-employee looking to hurt a company.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A malicious insider breach happened to the IT networking company Cisco Systems in 2018. A disgruntled former Cisco employee, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ndca\/pr\/san-jose-man-sentenced-two-years-imprisonment-damaging-cisco-s-network\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Sudhish Kasaba Ramesh<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, was caught hacking into the company\u2019s system and destroying several applications. The former worker\u2019s actions caused the company to have millions of dollars in damages.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">An insider that leaks information by mistake can also affect a company. An example of an accidental insider breach happened at Scotland\u2019s national telehealth organization, 24 NHS. A member of the organization\u2019s HR team <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grcworldforums.com\/privacy-and-technology\/nhs-data-breach-exposes-24-staff-data-in-scotland\/396.article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">unwittingly sent emails<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> containing employee PHI to the wrong email address.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The emails contained delicate health information concerning 24 NHS employees on medical leave. The emails were supposed to go to executives within the company but instead were sent to everyone in the company \u2014 giving employees access to their colleagues\u2019 sensitive medical history.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">External <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">data breach<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"none\"> threats<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">An external <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breach<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> comes from a person or an organization not involved with the party being hacked. External threats can come from <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">hackers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> acting alone, online organizations, and even other governments.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Here are a few of the main methods that <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">cybercriminals<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> might use to get personal information:\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"2\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Phishing<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> happens when a criminal pretends to be someone they\u2019re not to gain a target\u2019s trust or scare them. If a criminal targets your company, they might pretend to be a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">law enforcement<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> agency, a potential employer, or even a charity. At some point, they\u2019ll ask for money, personal information, or authorization credentials.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"14\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Malware<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> is harmful software that attacks gaps in a network\u2019s security programs. A <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">hacker<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> might infect a company\u2019s network with a virus to damage files, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ransomware<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that can hold data hostage, or spyware that can track employee keystrokes. It can take a long time for a company to realize that <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">malware attacked its network<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"13\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Brute force attacks<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> occur when a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">hacker<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> uses special software to guess network passwords. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Hackers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> can be extremely adept at guessing passwords. Often, they can crack weak passwords in under a minute.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">An example of an external <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breach<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> happened in 2017. A few members of the Chinese organization the People\u2019s Liberation Army worked alongside China\u2019s intelligence agencies to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/02\/10\/us\/politics\/equifax-hack-china.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">breach the American <\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/02\/10\/us\/politics\/equifax-hack-china.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">credit bureau<\/span><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/02\/10\/us\/politics\/equifax-hack-china.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Equifax<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. The breach exposed the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">PII<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> of around 145 million people.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How to avoid a <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breach<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As more businesses store employee and consumer information on the cloud, it\u2019s increasingly important to protect that information.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The good news is that you can do things to reduce the likelihood of being involved in a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breach<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and limit what happens if your information is ever exposed.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 aria-level=\"3\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">How to avoid <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">personal data breaches<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Below are a few tips that can help you limit your exposure to online <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breaches<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"15\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Get expert help.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> McAfee\u2019s Total Protection Ultimate plan offers premium <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/antivirus.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">antivirus software<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, identity monitoring, a password manager, a secure VPN, and up to $1 million in <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">identity theft<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> insurance.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Check your <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">bank account<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, financial statements, and <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">credit report<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> as often as possible.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Look for purchases you didn\u2019t make or unexplained changes in your credit score. These could be signs that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/9-ways-to-determine-if-your-identity-has-been-stolen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">someone stole your information<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Always be on the lookout for <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">scams<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and threats to your <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data privacy<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Watch out for messages that promise something for nothing. Don\u2019t open emails from questionable sources. And verify messages from government organizations.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Don\u2019t overshare on <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">social media<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><\/b> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">Hackers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> are on <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">social media<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> searching for potential passwords and other personal information.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Use strong passwords online.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Great passwords are long (at least 12 characters). They have uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and they don\u2019t have anything to do with your personal information. Make a different password for every account and change your passwords often. Finally, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/family-safety\/passwords-are-like-toothbrushes-not-to-be-shared\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">don\u2019t share passwords<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Make sure your devices are secure.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Smartphones, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">laptops<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, smartwatches, and other online devices should be password-protected and have security software like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/vpn.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">McAfee Secure VPN<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. You should also consistently download the latest software updates for your devices.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 aria-level=\"3\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">How companies can avoid <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">data breaches<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In a business, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">cybersecurity<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> is part of everyone\u2019s job. Here are some tips for strengthening your company\u2019s network against <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">cyberattacks<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">:\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"9\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Make sure your IT team regularly tests and audits the operating system for bugs and security issues.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> If they discover any problems or weaknesses, they need to be patched and updated immediately.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"6\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Teach your employees how to prevent, recognize, and respond to security threats.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Create educational material or have conferences to show your staff how to create strong passwords and discern <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">scam<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> emails from legitimate ones.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Poppins\" data-listid=\"7\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Develop a detailed <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">incident response<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> plan for how your company will handle a <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">security breach<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Include things like who needs to know, what to do, and when to release a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breach notification<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to the public. Have a meeting to go over your contingency plan. Create a document of your plan and store it somewhere your employees can access.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559740&quot;:276,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Stay protected online with McAfee<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The internet makes things like shopping, banking, and scheduling appointments extremely convenient, but there are always hungry <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">cybercriminals<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> looking to steal <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">credit card numbers<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">gain access<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">sensitive data<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">security breach<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> can be embarrassing for companies and upsetting for consumers. If you learn to protect your private information, identify the signs of a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data breach<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and take the right <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">security measures<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> when there\u2019s a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data leak<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, you\u2019ll greatly reduce your vulnerability to <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">cybercriminals<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">McAfee\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/antivirus\/mcafee-total-protection.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Total Protection services<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> can create a safer online experience for families and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">small businesses<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> alike. Our security products are simple to install and include safe browsing and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">credit monitoring features<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. And if you ever have a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">security incident<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, we\u2019ll help you with identity restoration and provide up to $1 million in identity coverage.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We take <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">information security<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> seriously so you can relax. See how McAfee can make <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">data protection<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> simpler.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A data breach occurs when cybercriminals steal information from an organization\u2019s database without permission from the owner or administrator. Data&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":674,"featured_media":154216,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10670],"tags":[4145],"coauthors":[3973],"class_list":["post-150695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks","tag-data-breach"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Is a Data Breach and How Do You Avoid It? | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A data breach occurs when cybercriminals steal information from an organization\u2019s database without permission from the owner or administrator. 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