This year has been a challenging one for cybersecurity, with several high-profile data breaches hitting organizations across various industries. From healthcare to entertainment, companies are facing significant financial and reputational damage, highlighting vulnerabilities that all businesses should heed. Let’s look at five of the biggest breaches of 2024 and discuss how small and midsize businesses can better protect themselves.
- National Public Data Breach
Earlier this year, a cybercriminal group claimed to have obtained 2.7 billion personal records from a background check and public data-brokering site. These records include highly sensitive details like Social Security numbers and home addresses. While questions remain about the data’s authenticity, it’s probable that many Social Security numbers were compromised. This breach underscores the importance for everyone to closely monitor their financial and online identities. A key step for personal protection is freezing your credit, which can help prevent identity theft, and only unfreezing it when absolutely necessary. Check if your data was exposed and take immediate action if needed.
- Ticketmaster Data Breach
Ticketmaster suffered a substantial breach, compromising the personal and financial information of over 560 million customers. Hackers infiltrated their database between April and May, accessing names, emails, phone numbers, and payment information. Many customers reported unauthorized charges and identity theft following the incident. This breach also intensified legal scrutiny of Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation, which is already under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for anticompetitive practices.
- Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack
In February, Change Healthcare was hit with a massive ransomware attack that affected over 145 million individuals. The attackers accessed names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and even medical records. As one of the largest healthcare breaches on record, this incident has pushed the industry to re-evaluate its cybersecurity practices to prevent future attacks.
- AT&T Data Breach
In March, AT&T disclosed a breach that affected approximately 73 million current and former customers. This breach, linked to data from as far back as 2019, exposed Social Security numbers, account information, and passcodes, with the stolen data surfacing on the dark web. AT&T, already reeling from a 2023 breach impacting 9 million users, is now facing the potential of multiple class-action lawsuits. This incident reinforces the need for companies to adopt rigorous cybersecurity measures, regardless of size. Even if your business doesn’t manage millions of accounts, it’s essential to have strong defenses in place to protect against such attacks.
- Dell Breach via Brute-Force Attack
In May, Dell experienced a security breach when a hacker known as Menelik used a brute-force attack to gain access to a client portal for one of Dell’s resellers. This attack exposed sensitive data for 49 million customers, including names, email addresses, payment information, and account details. Dell’s response included a public apology and a commitment to strengthening its cybersecurity protocols, though they still face potential legal and regulatory fallout as more information about the breach is disclosed.
What Does This Mean For You Personally?
If you’re concerned that your information may have been exposed in any of these breaches, taking action is essential. Freezing your credit, regularly monitoring your bank accounts, and using tools like haveIbeenpwned.com to check for compromised emails are vital steps in protecting yourself.
What Does This Mean For Your Business?
While these breaches affected major corporations, small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are just as vulnerable, if not more so. Cybercriminals often target SMBs because they may lack the sophisticated security defenses of larger companies. Even a single breach can lead to significant financial loss, downtime, and reputational damage for a smaller business.
Protect Your Business With a Security Assessment
If these high-profile breaches have you considering your own security risks, that’s a wise move. A proactive approach is the best defense. We’re offering a Security Assessment to evaluate your network for potential vulnerabilities. Our team can identify and address weak points, helping to protect your business from potential attacks.
Don’t wait until you’re the next headline – get your Security Assessment today! Click here to schedule or call our office at 843-418-4792.
